2007 Cougars narrowly missed an NCAA berth

PROVO — Holding a seemingly comfortable three-run lead in the ninth inning, BYU needed only one out to defeat TCU and force a decisive game for the Mountain West Conference championship in May.

But the Cougars surrendered a three-run home run, then watched the Horned Frogs rally for a 9-8 triumph and the MWC crown.

That's the way the season concluded for BYU, which finished with a 37-20 record in 2007.

"It ended abruptly," Cougar coach Vance Law recalled. "That was about as deflated and down as I've been."

Despite finishing second in the league, beating league-champ and nationally ranked TCU twice during the season and winning 22 of their final 29 games, BYU was ignored when it came to NCAA Tournament selection time.

Even a plea by TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle wasn't enough.

"I feel bad for BYU," Schlossnagle said after his team knocked off the Cougars in the MWC Tournament. "They are a great team. We have played them 14 times (the last two years), and every game has been a dogfight. It will be a travesty if they don't get in the NCAA Tournament."

Looking at the season as a whole, Law was happy with his young team, which featured only three seniors.

"We had some tough losses. I was pleased with our overall record," Law said. "There were a couple of games that could have gone our way. We hope we can build on this season."

Among those returning include second baseman Kent Walton, who hit .350, smacked eight home runs, slugged 17 doubles and scored a team-high 53 runs; first baseman Kasey Ko, who hit .358 and drove in 45 runs; and outfielder Stephen Wells, who led the Cougars with a .371 average and was an honorable mention freshman All-America.

Third baseman Steve Parker, an American Fork native, hit .347 and was named MWC co-freshman of the year and was a freshman All-America selection. "(Parker) is one of our main contributors for the future and performed very, very well in the middle of our lineup," Law said.

Starting pitchers Jake Wortham (8-4) and Jordan Muir (6-4) are also back.

Infielder Sean McNaughton, who earned freshman All-America honors a couple of years ago, returns from a mission and will be ready to play for the Cougars in 2008.

Pitchers Jesse Craig and Matt Jensen and designated hitter Apana Nakayama have graduated, and Law acknowledges they'll be tough to replace.