March 16, 1999

LAS VEGAS - UNLV defeated Southern Utah Univ. 19-16 in a nonconference game on Monday, March 15, at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. UNLV finished the 19-game homestand with a 9-10 record.

UNLV, 11-15 overall, 4-2 in the WAC and winners of seven out of the last 10, pounded out 19 runs and 19 hits. UNLV has scored 46 runs in its last two games (27 vs. BYU on March 13 and 19 against SUU on March 15).

Junior first baseman Brian Hertel was the hitting star for UNLV. He was 3-for-5 with a pair of 3-run home runs (first and second innings) for a career-high 6 RBI. Junior designated hitter Tony DeMarco and sophomore catcher Ryan Hamill were each 4-for-5 with 4 runs scored and 3 RBI. Senior left fielder Chris Adolph was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI and extended his hitting streak to 14 games which ties a career-high.

Junior right-hander Bryan Gidge pitched three strong innings in relief to record his fourth victory of the season against two losses. He allowed 1 run and struck out 4.

Center fielder Phil Downing led Southern Utah, 7-22, with a 2-for-5 performance which included a grand slam in the second inning. UNLV led 19-9 going to the top of the ninth. Southern Utah scored 7 unearned runs off senior right-hander Jimmy Smith to cut the lead to 19-16. Smith struck out catcher Kurtis Yokum with the bases loaded to end the game.

UNLV will embark on its longest roadtrip in school's history with a 17-day, 13-game trip. UNLV will play six games at the Aggie Continental Airlines Classic in College Station, Texas, on March 19-22; at No. 1 Rice in a WAC three-game series on March 26-28; at Hawai'i Pacific in a nonconference game on March 30; at Hawai'i in a WAC three-game series on April 1-3. All games will be broadcast on KSFN 1140-AM radio with Scott Robbs and Scott Taylor.