Utes Open MWC Tournament With 2-1 Win Over BYU

Tuesday, May 19

Fort Worth, Texas

3:00 PM

University of Utah

22-28

BYU

28-23

Utah

BYU

5/19/2009 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 19, 2009

Box Score

FORT WORTH, Texas - Tyler Yagi's RBI single in the top of the 10th inning lifted the sixth-seeded Utah baseball team to a 2-1 victory over third-seeded Brigham Young in the first game of the Mountain West Conference tournament on Tuesday, May 19.

The Utes move on in the winners bracket to face No. 1 seed and No. 14 ranked TCU at 7:00 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, May 20.

With one out Cooper Blanc singled up the middle in the 10th inning. After Michael Beltran flied out to right field, Blanc stole second and moved to third on a throwing error on the play. After Corey Shimada walked, Yagi singled up the middle to send in the game-winning run.

Greg Krause shut down the side in the bottom of the 10th, which included a strikeout, to earn his first victory of the season.

Yagi, who celebrates his 19th birthday today, drove in both of Utah's runs in the game and both runs were scored by Blanc. Yagi was 2-for-5 while Blanc was 2-for-4.

BYU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Andrew Law doubled to center field with two outs, which was following by an RBI single from J.T. Musso.

The Utes tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning. After Blanc led off the inning with a single, he advanced to second on a ground out and scored when Yagi singled through the left side.

"It's good to start out with a win," head coach Bill Kinneberg said. "Both Cooper Blanc and Tyler Yagi had big hits for us and I am pleased the team came together to win at the end."

Both teams had chances to score throughout the game. The Cougars left two runners on the in the fifth and eighth innings while Nick Kuroczko was stranded at third base after leading off the ninth inning with a single.

Ute starting pitcher Jordan Whatcott pitched seven innings, allowing one run and four hits. Stephen Streich pitched the eighth inning and into the ninth while Krause entered in the ninth inning and closed out the game.

Jordan Muir earned the loss on the mound for BYU after pitching the final 2.2 innings. Blake Torgerson had seven strikeouts over the first seven innings, allowing one run on three hits.