For the fourth time in less than a week, and the fifth time this season, BYU is set to square off against in-state rival Utah.

After coming off a three-game weekend series between the two teams, the fourth-ranked Cougars will take on the fifth-ranked Utes in the first round of the Montain Western Conference Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.

In the four previous contests between these two teams this season, each squad has come away with two victories.

BYU should enter the game with confidence after besting Utah on Friday and Saturday which included a 15-2 rout and a miraculous 13-10 come-from-behind victory.

In Saturday's contest, BYU was down 10-0 heading into the top of the eighth inning, but scored 12 runs in one inning to shock Utah in front of the Ute's biggest home crowd of the season.

"It was a huge win for us," BYU outfielder Sean McNaughton said of the victory. "It gives us good momentum going into the tournament."

The two schools have faced each other five times in the post season since the creation of the MWC in 1999 and BYU holds a slight 3-2 advantage in those meetings.

"We're familiar with each other," BYU coach Vance Law said. "It's tooth and nail all the time. It's never a given."

The series win for BYU should help the team build momentum going into the tournament. Saturday's win gave the Cougars their first conference series win since April, and only the third of the 2008 season.

"Confidence is bred by success," Law said. "When you have confidence you're going to have more success. I'm hoping that these two games will breed that confidence with our guys and take it another step."

Playing a tournament game so soon after the end of the season poses a challenge for the short-handed Cougar pitching staff. All three regular starters pitched during the recent series.

BYU will likely start lefty Jake Wortham on the mound. Wortham will be working off of short rest after pitching in Thursday's game.

Utah looks to start Brian Budrow, who did not pitch last week.

The matchup will be the 301st meeting between these two teams. BYU holds the advantage, historically, with a record of 208-91-1.

Copyright Brigham Young University 20 May 2008