BYU battles back to beat U.

PROVO — The streak continues. Only this time the BYU baseball team had to do it the hard way and rally from a 6-2 deficit to beat Utah 9-7 on Friday in front of a crowd of 2,201 fans, the 10th largest crowd in BYU history.

BYU has defeated Utah 12 straight times.

After trailing all game, BYU took the lead for good when Ben Taylor drilled a ball off Utah third baseman Cort Wilson. Wilson's error allowed Ryan Chambers to score, giving BYU an 8-7 lead. Rob Itri added an insurance run.

The two teams conclude the series tonight at 6 at Miller Park.

Utah's Matt Ciaramella started the scoring in the first inning by reaching base on a two-out walk. Two batters later, Jared Pena drove home Ciaramella to give the Utes a 1-0 lead.

BYU responded by scoring two runs in the second inning.

With one out, Ranger Wiens reached base on a walk. Tim Law followed by scoring Wiens to tie the game at 1-1. Law later scored on a Utah throwing error while attempting to steal third.

The Utes quickly regained the lead in the third when Mike Westfall singled to left field, allowing Ciaramella to score. On the play, BYU leftfielder Kory Knell misplayed the ball and Pena scored on the error to put the Utes back on top 3-2.

Utah added three runs in the fourth to lead 6-2. Trevor Eastman was walked to open the inning. Ryan Khoury then singled and Jay Brossman walked to load the bases. Ciaramella then brought home Eastman on a sacrifice fly. Eric Chevalier added an RBI to extend the Utah lead to 5-2. Brossman added the final run in the inning.

BYU cut the Utah lead to 6-5 with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth. Kory Knell led the fifth inning off with a single. With two outs, Ben Saylor brought the Cougars to within one run when he scored Knell on an inside-the-park home run. It looked to be a routine single to center but the ball was misplayed by Ciaramella, allowing Saylor to score.

Utah added a run in the seventh but BYU rallied for two in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 7-7. Knell and Ben Taylor opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Jeff Hiestand was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. With one out, Wiens tied the game on a two-RBI single.

Utah threatened to take the lead in the eighth inning with Ciaramella on first and Brossman on third. Brossman attempted to score from third on a Paul Jacinto wild pitch but Jacinto tagged out Brossman at home thanks to a quick throw by catcher Casey Cloward.

Jacinto then proceeded to strike out Chevalier and forced Pena to line out to third. Jacinto earned his second win of the year. Both of his wins have come in relief.

Jacinto struck out the side in the ninth to give the Cougars the win.