Cougar's starting pitcher Jordan Muir recorded nine strikeouts as the Cougars earned a 12-5 victory over Air Force on Friday night. A seventh-inning hiccup allowed three Falcon runs after five straight scoreless innings.

The Cougars hit effectively in the bottom of the first, matching the Falcons' hit total with two hits of their own, but the Cougars failed to translate those hits into runs.

The Cougars would, however, take advantage of their men on base in the second and find home plate. Kasey Ko reached first on a ground ball through third and second, followed by a blast to the warning track from Jonathan Cluff for a double, putting himself and Ko in scoring position. Bryce Ayoso would get BYU on the board with a sac fly to right field, scoring Ko.

A wild pitch from Falcon pitcher Jake Petro (1-3), who earned the loss in the Mountain West Conference match up, would score Cluff and even the score at 2-2.

BYU really clamped down defensively, as Muir really attacked the bottom half of the Falcon's lineup. Muir would strike out the side in the fifth only throwing 17 pitches, striking out three consecutive batters.

"Jordan [Muir] pitched, I thought, outstanding baseball," said Cougar head coach Vance Law. "Up until the seventh, I thought he was going to pitch a complete game, but he just couldn't find the strike zone and we had to scramble."

The Cougars offense started to come alive in the bottom of the fifth, they scored three runs on only one hit. An error on Brandon Relf's shot to center advanced him to second base, and a walk from Dan Vargas put him on first.

Kent Walton looking at strike three, raced to first after a pass ball from the pitcher had the catcher racing to recover it. Distracted by Vargas faking a steal at home, Walton was able to reach second. The lone Cougar hit from Steve Parker, just wide of the diving second baseman outstretched glove, scored two more runs increased their lead 5-2.

Muir, showing the signs of several successful innings pitched, loaded the bases in the seventh inning on two walks and the first hit of the game since the first inning.

Law decided to stay with Muir despite the whole he had dug himself. Falcon replacement Daniel Walker ended the scoring drought for Air Force and after another walk from Muir gave up the first run since the first, the BYU skipper would repeal his decision on Muir, looking to Blake Torgerson to clean up an inning with bases loaded with no outs.

Not being able to relieve a pitcher in any worse of a situation, Torgerson gave up a hit against the first batter he faced but an impressive stop of a Falcon base hit with his body, third baseman Steve Parker limited the damage done only allowing the Falcon's to advance one base and score only one run. A walk on the next batter would be the end of Torgerson's day, as Vance called for RHP Jared Miller to replace him.

Miller (2) struck out the first Falcon he faced and forced the following batter to hit into a double play ending the inning stranding three Falcon's on base, but Air Force had already shrunk the Cougar's lead to just one, at 6-5 after a 3-run inning of their own.

"I was pleased how Miller was able to come in and put the fire out, said Vance. "Coming in with no outs on the board and not give up a run to maintain our lead was very important."

While the Falcon momentum carried over to build after their successful at-bats, the Cougar's defense stiffened to defended their fragile 1-run lead. Miller found himself in control of the eighth inning, earning two strikeouts of his own to show the Falcon's that last inning was just a fluke.

"I just wanted to come in a throw some strikes and maintain our lead," said Miller. "I think it shows our maturity, despite our age, to have them come back on us, making it close and then to be able to regroup and put them away."

The Cougar's bats mirrored Miller's sentiments about the seventh inning, as they answered back with 6-run inning in eighth to shut the door on would be rally from the Falcon's. Again, the Cougar's showed base running wisdom beyond their years, on a young team lacking any Seniors.

"I think that was a turning point in the game and maintaining our lead. We have been working on focusing mentally. I think this team is getting polished especially after bouncing back from that seventh inning."

Andrew Law, pinch running for Ko, stole second and noticing the Falcon third baseman absent from his position almost casually continued to third. The Cougars would load the bases, and with no outs, Brandon Relf earned three RBI's on a double shot up the middle and would eventually score. Back to back wild pitches from Falcon Adam Teach, Air Force's 4th pitcher in the game, would push the lead to 12-5.

Miller ended the game with an exclamation point throwing the last of his 4 strikes, earning the save.

BYU final game of a three-game series wraps up tomorrow at Larry H. Miller Field at 1 p.m.

Air Force 200 000 300 -- 5 5 2

BYU 020 031 06X -- 12 12 0

WP: Miller (2-2), LP: Petro, J. (1-3), Save: Miller (2)

2B- McNaughton (6); Walton (5); Cluff 2 (7); Relf (3). HR - Gentry(3).