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FORT WORTH, Texas -- San Diego State edged BYU 1-0 in a pitchers' duel on Wednesday, ousting the Cougars from the MWC Championships.
BYU sophomore Blake Torgerson went the distance with 108 pitches, dueling SDSU lefty Nate Solow, the surprise starter in the absense of MWC Pitcher of the Year Stephen Strasburg (8-2, 1.59) in a game that was scoreless through six inning.
The Aztecs scored their only run in the seventh, when a two-out walk put one runner aboard and consecutive singles brought him home. Brett Tanos got the RBI hit.
Sean McNaughton's two-out double in the third inning was BYU's first hit, but the Cougars didn't score. Third baseman Steve Parker helped Torgerson out of a jam in the fourth, snagging a shot down the third-base line and throwing to first for the third out with two Aztecs aboard.
Solow retired a dozen consecutive Cougars before Parker singled to left with two outs and stole second in the seventh, but again, BYU failed to score.
In the eighth, Andrew Law beat out a bunt single with two outs, but BYU couldn't bring him home. In the ninth, Kasey Ko worked Solow for a two-out walk, and pinch-runner Micahel Bowen advanced to third on Park's clutch single. But Solow was lifted in favor of Shaun Kaufman, who got the final out.
"Solow has been tough on us, but we were able to match him pitch per pitch," said BYU coach Vance Law. "We just weren't able to capitalize. When you get a great performance out of a pitching staff, it is a rarity and it is really tough on us. We played a lot better today, but I am disappointed we didn't show better this season."
The Cougars end the season with a 22-36 record, while SDSU (now 31-27) plays Utah, an 8-2 loser to New Mexico, this morning in an elimination game.
• Honors: The NCAA has recognized the BYU men's basketball and women's volleyball teams with public recognition awards for their multi-year Academic Progress Rate scores.¬ The NCAA's APR calculation includes eligibility, retention and graduation.
Each of BYU's 21 teams made the mark to be considered in good academic standing by the 2008 NCAA APR report.¬ High-performing teams that recorded scores between¬ 965 and a perfect 1,000 while also ranking among¬ the top 10 percent of all schools in their respective sports received public recognition awards. The BYU men's basketball team achieved a 987 score, while women's volleyball scored an exceptional 995.¬ The men's basketball team received public recognition from the NCAA for the second-consecutive year.¬
"We have outstanding student-athletes," said E.J. Caffaro, director of BYU's Student Athlete Academic Center. "I compliment them on their persistent work ethic and accomplishments inside and outside the classroom. I appreciate the support we receive from the coaches and the diligence of our academic advisors. This achievement is a great representation of BYU and the athletic department."¬
At the Division I level, 33 men's basketball teams qualified for public recognition out of a total of 328 programs. The¬ Air Force Academy is the only other Mountain West Conference school to be honored. BYU is¬ one of only 10 schools in the nation that earned high academic achievement and also qualified for the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Cougars are one of just six programs to earn APR recognition and an NCAA Tournament berth in each of the past two seasons, joining North Carolina, Villanova, Xavier, Belmont and Davidson.¬
Out of 325 Division I women's volleyball teams, 41 qualified for the APR award this year with BYU being the lone MWC institution to be honored. Of those 41 teams, 10 earned an NCAA Tournament berth. BYU joined Stanford as the only two programs to receive APR accolades and also advance to the¬ Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament this past season.¬
Overall, BYU's teams not only rated well in the APR but also fared well on the field of competition.¬ The Cougars currently rank 32nd in the Sports Academy Director's Cup Division I standings, which ranks the top overall athletics programs in the country, making it the top MWC¬ school and the top school from a non-automatic BCS-qualifying conference.¬ BYU claimed eight MWC Championship titles during¬ the 2007-08 season.¬ The men's basketball team appeared in the top-25 rankings and took the outright MWC Championship for the second year in a row. In addition to its¬ Elite Eight appearance, the women's volleyball team¬ finished the season ranked 12th nationally -- the program's highest final ranking since 1998.¬
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