April 27, 2009
OREM, Utah -- Billy Burgess hit a grand slam for the second straight game as Utah Valley used a five-run first to top BYU, 7-2, in front of a season-high 2,455 fans on Monday night at Brent Brown Ballpark.
Jace Brinkerhoff tied the school career hit record with a two-hit night and Justin Smith threw seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four. Smith (6-3) has now won his last five decisions.
Burgess is now 4-for-4 with three home runs and 13 RBI with the bases loaded this season. His three grand slams is a school career and season record for the freshman, who is second on the team with six home runs.
Brinkerhoff, who already has a single-season school record 70 hits on the year, tied Eli Slesk's career record with his 208th hit on a single in the second inning.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Jake Rickenbach opened the Wolverines' (13-28) half of the inning with a double in the gap in right. Riley White walked and Brinkerhoff singled up the middle to score Rickenbach and make it 1-0. Kirk Doxey was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Burgess hit an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left-center to make it 5-0.
That chased BYU starter Nathan Bunch (3-3) from the game after just five batters and without an out in the books.
Rickenbach made it 6-0 in the second when he lined a Marc Oslund pitch over the wall in left for his fifth home run of the year. The home run was Oslund's only real blemish on the night as he pitched five innings and struck out seven while allowing three hits.
The Cougars (24-17) threatened in the fourth but stranded the bases loaded when Sean McNaughton flew out to left to end the inning. Bryce Ayoso began the inning with a single to left, the first BYU hit of the game, but was erased on a 6-4-3 web gem of a double play that Rickenbach started with a backhand on a sharply hit ball off the bat of Kent Walton.
BYU did get on the board in the fifth and then scored its second run in the seventh on a McNaughton home run. Burgess drove in his fifth run of the game in the bottom of the seventh on a double to right for the final 7-2 tally.
Smith, who retired the side in order three different times, left after giving up a single to Walton to lead off the eighth. Jory Jensen came on and after giving up a hit and hitting a batter, got Michael Bowen to ground to third with Brinkerhoff stepping on the bag and cutting down Walton at the plate for a double play.
McNaughton loaded the bases again on a bunt single but pinch-hitter Chad Nacapoy flew out to left to strand the bases loaded for the second time on the night for the Cougars. After a scoreless eighth for the Wolverines, Jensen retired BYU in order in the ninth to end the game.
UVU and BYU split the season series with both teams winning in their home ballpark. The Wolverines will play their final home game on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. against Utah. Seniors Cole Anderson, Josh Hinckley, Ryan Jones and Jory Jensen will all be honored prior to the game.
