PROVO -- BYU eked out a 5-4 victory Tuesday night over Utah Valley University in its home opener.

The Cougars, now 7-7, avenged a 4-1 loss last week to UVU in Sacramento, but had to go into the ninth inning to prove it.

"We did an admirable job competing in a close game tonight," BYU coach Vance Law said. "Utah Valley always gets up to play us as do our guys because a lot of our players know each other personally so these games tend to go right down to the wire."

A single in the bottom of the eighth inning off the bat of Jonathan Cluff to score Bryce Ayoso proved to very beneficial for the Cougars and their 1,883 partisans. The game-winning RBI from Cluff put BYU up 5-2 heading into the ninth inning.

The Wolverines keep things interesting as they batted in two runs to pull within one of the Cougars, 5-4. BYU started off the last inning with Michael Ward on the mound and made two pitching changes which included the pitcher who was awarded the eventual save by freshman Justin Shutt after UVU coach Steve Gardner was tossed following a controversial call on a hit batter.

BYU had an outstanding offensive night from designated hitter Bryce Ayoso who came through with three hits in four at bats. Ayoso also had one RBI, two stolen bases and one run scored against UVU. BYU had eight of its nine starters finish the night with a hit as the Cougars ended the game with 11 hits total.

The Cougars got started early with their bats as they scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Dan Vargas was the second batter to step to the plate for BYU and he hit a single that skipped through the left side of the infield. Vargas advanced to third as he stole second and the catcher overthrew second base which allowed Vargas to continue for the extra base.

BYU's clean-up hitter Steve Parker stepped to the plate a couple of batters later and knocked in Dan Vargas with a liner that when into the left-center gap. This was Parker's team-leading 11th RBI of the season.

The Wolverines were not able to get out the first inning without the Cougars notching one more run as Parker scored from first on a hit by designated hitter Ayoso who hit it right up the middle of the infield. BYU was up 2-0 at the end of one inning.

The BYU starter Nelson Castleberry found himself in a jam in the top of the second as the bases were loaded with two outs. Castleberry buckled down and struck out AJ Palmer to end the inning. Castleberry went for five complete innings and recorded his first win as a Cougar.

In the bottom of the second inning the Cougars made a bigger gap as Jonathan Cluff scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from second baseman Andrew Law. Then in the bottom of the third inning BYU added one more run as junior first baseman Kasey Ko hit a short blooper into right field which brought in Parker from third. After three innings BYU was up 4-0 on the Wolverines.

A defensive highlight for the Cougars came in the top of the third when second-year shortstop starter Vargas went deep into the grass to ground the ball and threw a rocket across the infield to get the out at first. Coming into this game Vargas led the Cougars in assisted put outs with 43 so far this season.

Utah Valley got on the board for the first time in the top of the fourth as Jake Rickenbach knocked in a run. The Wolverines also scored a single run in the top of the following inning to close the gap to 4-2 after five innings of action.

UVU, now 3-10-1, was led by righthander Marcus Moore who went the distance, tossing 127 pitches in the loss.

The Cougars will be in action next on Thursday as they travel to play in their first Mountain West Conference game against San Diego State at 6 p.m. That three-game series at SDSU will be broadcast live locally on KSRR Radio (1400 AM).

Utah Valley Univ. at Brigham Young Univ.
Mar. 11 2008 at Provo, Utah (Larry H.Miller Field)
Utah Valley Univ. 4 (3-10-1)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Palmer lf................  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  0   3
 Hinckley ph.............  1  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Bargewell pr............  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Jones 2b.................  4  1  2  0   1  0  2  5   0
Brinkerhoff 3b...........  5  1  2  1   0  0  0  1   0
Hatch dh.................  5  0  2  1   0  0  0  0   3
Openshaw 1b..............  4  0  1  1   0  0  8  1   1
Arendse c................  3  1  1  0   2  0  7  1   0
Croshaw cf...............  5  0  1  0   0  2  2  0   3
Rickenbach ss............  4  0  0  1   0  1  2  2   1
Garretson rf.............  1  0  0  0   1  0  1  0   1
 Anderson ph/rf..........  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
 Brady ph................  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Moore p..................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 37  4 11  4   5  4 24 11  12
Brigham Young Univ. 5 (7-7)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
MCNAUGHTON, Sean lf......  4  0  1  0   0  2  1  0   0
VARGAS, Dan ss...........  3  1  1  0   1  0  1  5   1
WALTON, Kent cf..........  4  0  1  0   0  2  1  0   0
PARKER, Steve 3b.........  4  2  1  1   0  0  1  2   0
AYOSO, Bryce dh..........  4  1  3  1   0  0  0  0   0
KO, Kasey 1b.............  3  0  1  1   1  1 12  0   1
 SLOAN, Kevin pr.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 BILLS, Thomas 1b........  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
CLUFF, Jonathan rf.......  4  1  2  1   0  0  1  0   2
MUSSO, J.T. c............  4  0  0  0   0  2  4  1   2
LAW, Andrew 2b...........  2  0  1  1   0  0  4  6   0
CASTLEBERRY, Nelson p....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 MILLER, Jared p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WARD, Michael p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 WELCH, Daniel p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 SHUTT, Justin p.........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 32  5 11  5   2  7 27 15   6
Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
Utah Valley Univ.... 000 110 002 -  4 11  2
Brigham Young Univ.. 211 000 01X -  5 11  1
-------------------------------------------
E - Arendse; Croshaw; MCNAUGHTON. DP - UVU 2. LOB - UVU 12; BYU Cougars 6.
2B - Hinckley; Brinkerhoff; Croshaw. HBP - Openshaw. SF - LAW. SB - Jones;
VARGAS; AYOSO 2; CLUFF. CS - Palmer.
Utah Valley Univ.      IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Moore...............  8.0 11  5  4  2  7 32 35
Brigham Young Univ.    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
CASTLEBERRY, Nelson.  5.0  7  2  2  2  2 21 23
MILLER, Jared.......  2.0  0  0  0  2  0  6  9
WARD, Michael.......  1.1  4  2  2  0  1  8  8
WELCH, Daniel.......  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1
SHUTT, Justin.......  0.1  0  0  0  1  1  1  2
Win - CASTLEBERRY (1-2).  Loss - Moore (1-3).  Save - SHUTT (2).
WP - WARD. HBP - by MILLER (Openshaw).
Umpires - HP: Randy Upton  1B: Jeff Richardson  3B: Blyden Loutensock
Start: 6:02   Time: 2:49   Attendance: 1883
Game notes:
All of BYU's league games along with KSU, OSU and WSU are broadcast
live locally over 1400 AM KSRR Radio
MILLER faced 1 batter in the 8th.
Utah Valley Univ. starters: 6/lf Palmer; 11/2b Jones; 10/3b Brinkerhoff; 5/dh
Hatch; 12/1b Openshaw; 18/c Arendse; 3/cf Croshaw; 2/ss Rickenbach; 1/rf
Garretson; 14/p Moore;
Brigham Young Univ. starters: 15/lf MCNAUGHTON; 13/ss VARGAS; 9/cf WALTON; 5/3b
PARKER; 11/dh AYOSO; 22/1b KO; 8/rf CLUFF; 10/c MUSSO; 6/2b LAW; 21/p
CASTLEBERRY;
Utah Valley Univ. 1st - Palmer grounded out to 3b. Jones singled to
right center. Brinkerhoff flied out to rf. Jones stole second. Hatch grounded
out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 1st - MCNAUGHTON struck out swinging. VARGAS singled
through the left side. VARGAS stole second, advanced to third on an error by c.
WALTON struck out swinging. PARKER singled to left field, RBI; VARGAS scored.
AYOSO singled, RBI; PARKER scored, scored on a fielding error by cf, unearned.
KO flied out to ss; AYOSO stole second. 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 2nd - Openshaw singled to center field. Arendse
walked; Openshaw advanced to second. Croshaw reached on a fielder's choice;
Arendse advanced to second; Openshaw out at third p to 3b. Rickenbach struck
out looking. Garretson walked; Croshaw advanced to second; Arendse advanced to
third. Palmer struck out looking. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 2nd - CLUFF singled through the left side. CLUFF
stole second. MUSSO flied out to lf; CLUFF advanced to third. LAW flied out to
lf, SF, RBI; CLUFF scored. MCNAUGHTON struck out swinging. 1 run, 1 hit, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 3rd - Jones grounded out to ss. Brinkerhoff grounded
out to 2b. Hatch fouled out to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 3rd - VARGAS flied out to cf. WALTON singled, bunt.
PARKER reached on a fielder's choice; WALTON out at second 1b to ss. AYOSO
singled to right field; PARKER advanced to third. KO singled to right field,
RBI; AYOSO advanced to third; PARKER scored. CLUFF grounded out to 2b. 1
run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 4th - Openshaw grounded out to 2b. Arendse singled up
the middle. Croshaw doubled to right field; Arendse advanced to third.
Rickenbach grounded out to 2b, RBI; Croshaw advanced to third; Arendse scored.
Garretson grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 4th - MUSSO struck out swinging. LAW grounded out to
c. MCNAUGHTON grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 5th - Palmer singled, bunt. Palmer out at second c to
2b, caught stealing. Jones flied out to cf. Brinkerhoff doubled to left center.
Hatch singled, advanced to second on a fielding error by lf, RBI; Brinkerhoff
scored. Openshaw flied out to lf. 1 run, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 5th - VARGAS walked. WALTON grounded into double
play 3b to 2b to 1b; VARGAS out on the play. PARKER grounded out to 2b. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 6th - MILLER to p for CASTLEBERRY. Arendse grounded
out to 1b unassisted. Croshaw grounded out to ss. Rickenbach grounded out to
ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 6th - AYOSO flied out to rf. KO struck out looking.
CLUFF grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 7th - Anderson pinch hit for Garretson. Anderson
walked. Palmer reached on a fielder's choice; Anderson out at second ss to 2b.
Jones walked; Palmer advanced to second. Brinkerhoff popped up to ss. Hatch
grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 7th - Anderson to rf. MUSSO struck out swinging. LAW
singled to right field. MCNAUGHTON singled to right field; LAW advanced to
second. VARGAS grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; MCNAUGHTON out on the
play; LAW advanced to third. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 8th - Openshaw hit by pitch. WARD to p for MILLER.
Arendse popped up to 2b. Openshaw advanced to second on a wild pitch. Croshaw
struck out swinging. Rickenbach popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Brigham Young Univ. 8th - WALTON struck out swinging. PARKER grounded
out to p. AYOSO singled through the left side. AYOSO stole second. KO walked.
CLUFF singled up the middle, RBI; KO advanced to second; AYOSO scored. SLOAN
pinch ran for KO. MUSSO flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Utah Valley Univ. 9th - BILLS to 1b for SLOAN. Brady pinch hit for
Anderson. Brady grounded out to 2b. Hinckley pinch hit for Palmer. Hinckley
doubled to center field. Bargewell pinch ran for Hinckley. Jones singled to
right field; Bargewell advanced to third. Brinkerhoff singled up the middle,
RBI; Jones advanced to second; Bargewell scored. Hatch singled to center field;
Brinkerhoff advanced to second; Jones advanced to third. WELCH to p for WARD.
Openshaw grounded out to 2b, RBI; Hatch advanced to second; Brinkerhoff
advanced to third; Jones scored. SHUTT to p for WELCH. Arendse walked. Croshaw
struck out swinging. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

For Tuesday's home opener at Miller Park BYU Coach Vance Law has tabbed Nelson Castleberry to face Utah Valley in the rematch at 6 p.m.

Castleberry, (0-2, 9.95) a right-hander from Spanish Fork, gets to face his former high school teammate Jace Brinkerhoff. Brinkerhoff, a UVU third baseman, joined three Cougars in being named to the All-River City Classic team.

Shortstop Dan Vargas and pitchers Jordan Muir and Blake Torgerson were also named to that all-tourney team.

BYU brings a 6-7 record into Tuesday's home opener, while UVU is 3-9-1. The Cougars fell 4-1 last week in Sacramento to the Wolverines.

"We are excited to play in our park, we play well here," said Law. "We also start conference play this week, and it has come up quick on us. There are four teams in the running. We've gotten used to the road, so we hope to be ready for San Diego State."

The Cougars start Mountain West Conference action on Thursday in a three-game series at San Diego. The probable starters for BYU at San Diego on the mound are: Jake Wortham (1-1, 7.66), Jordan Muir (1-1, 2.70) and Tyler Westensee (1-0, 2.45).

The games at San Diego State will be carried live on Radio 1400 AM (KSRR) with Brent Norton calling the action for his 18th season with BYU.

For more information, please see the PDF link above.