WHEN/WHERE: The 22nd-ranked UNLV baseball team, 14-5 and 2-1 in the WAC South Division and winners of 10 out of its last 13, will host the 18th Annual UNLV/Coors Desert Classic this weekend at Earl E. Wilson Stadium at Roger Barnson Field.

THIS WEEK: 18th Annual UNLV/Coors Desert Classic

Thursday, March 5 - Ohio State vs. Oral Roberts, 10 a.m.          UNLV vs. Oral Roberts, 1:30 p.m.          UNLV vs. Cal State Northridge, 5 p.m.          Lewis-Clark State vs. Washington State, 1 p.m. at Cashman FieldFriday, March 6 - Ohio State vs. Washington State, 10 a.m.        Lewis-Clark State vs. UNLV, 1:30 p.m.        Lewis-Clark State vs. Ohio State, 5 p.m.        Oral Roberts vs. Cal State Northridge, 1 p.m. at Cashman FieldSaturday, March 7 - Oral Roberts vs. Washington State, 10 a.m.          Cal State Northridge vs. Washington State, 1:30 p.m.          Cal State Northridge vs. Lewis-Clark State, 5 p.m.          Ohio State vs. UNLV, 5 p.m. at Cashman FieldSunday, March 8 -  CHAMPIONSHIP DAY (Best Overall Records through four games)        6th best record vs. 5th best record, 10 a.m., at Wilson Stadium        4th best record vs. 3rd best record, 1:30 p.m. at Wilson Stadium        2nd best record vs. 1st best record - championship game, 5 p.m. at Wilson Stadium (NOTE: Originally scheduled at Cashman Field, changed to Wilson Stadium due to major league baseball games played at Cashman Field on March 7-8).

NEXT WEEK:

Friday, March 13 - *UNLV at Grand Canyon, 2 p.m. (PST), Brazell Stadium (2,500)+

Saturday, March 14 - *UNLV at Grand Canyon, Noon (PST), Brazell Stadium+

Sunday, March 15, UNLV at Grand Canyon, Noon (PST), Brazell Stadium +

*KLAV AM-1230 Radio +WAC game

RADIO: UNLV baseball will broadcast 25 games during the 1998 season on KLAV AM-1230. Scott Robbs will call the action all season long. The following is the broadcast schedule: Feb. 10 vs. Pepperdine; Feb. 13-14 vs. UNR and Southern Illinois; Feb. 20-21 at Cal State Fullerton; Feb. 27-28 vs. Fresno State; March 13-14 at Grand Canyon; March 17 vs. Arizona; March 20-21 vs. Rice; March 25 vs. Portland State; April 3-4 vs. New Mexico; April 10 -11 vs. Air Force; April 17-18 at San Jose State; May 1-2 vs. TCU; May 5 vs. Arizona State.

THE TEAMS: UNLV is 14-5 on the season. UNLV won two out of three games against Fresno State (3-7, 5-4, 6-5) last weekend at Wilson Stadium in the WAC opener for both teams. Cal State Northridge is 11-12 on the season (42-20-1 last season). Lewis-Clark State is 8-2 on the season (48-10 last season). Ohio State is 3-3 on the season (42-18 last season). Oral Roberts is 8-5 on the season (26-30 last season). Washington State is 5-4 on the season (13-42 last season).

THE SERIES: UNLV leads the series against Cal State Northridge 15-11. UNLV leads the series against Lewis-Clark State 15-5. UNLV and Ohio State have never met. UNLV leads the series against Oral Roberts 1-0. Washington State leads the series against UNLV 5-3.

UNLV HEAD COACH ROD SOESBE: He is in his 14th season at UNLV and his second as head coach. His career record is 38-36 (.514). Rod was named as the fourth head coach in UNLV baseball history on Sept. 10, 1996. He spent 12 seasons as the top assistant coach to Fred Dallimore. Soesbe came to UNLV in 1985 and served as the team's hitting instructor, working with the infielders and third base coach. He spent six years at Yavapai College (Prescott, Ariz.) from 1978-83 and was head coach at Lee College in Baytown, Texas, in 1984. He was twice named the Arizona Junior College "Coach of the Year" in 1978 and 1979. He was also named regional "Coach of the Year" for those two seasons.

COACHES: Mike Batesole is in his third season at Cal State Northridge. Ed Cheff is in his 22nd season at Lewis-Clark State. Bob Todd is in his 11th season at Ohio State. Sunny Golloway is in his third season at Oral Roberts. Steve Farrington is in his fourth season at Washington State.

EARL E. WILSON BASEBALL STADIUM: UNLV baseball will begin its fifth season playing in the 3,000-seat Earl E. Wilson Baseball Stadium at Roger Barnson Field (26th season playing on the existing field). A gift of $1.2 million from the estate of the late Earl and Hazel Wilson was used for the construction of the Stadium. The stadium features 2,500 theater-type seats and 500 bleacher-back seats; paved parking for 400 cars; a 60-foot enclosed press box; restrooms for fans, concession areas; backstop; public address system; batter's eye in centerfield; and stadium entrance complete with handicap access (tunnel and ramp). Wilson Stadium was dedicated on Saturday, Jan. 29, 1994 prior to the UNLV Alumni Game. Jay Brown and Mel Wolzinger, co-trustees of the Earl and Hazel Wilson estate, were on hand to bring in a new era to Rebel baseball. A crowd of 2,500, the largest home crowd in UNLV baseball history, saw the UNLV Alumni defeat the varsity 15-14.

REBEL NOTES: UNLV entered the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll at No. 22 on Feb. 23...The Rebels remained at No. 22 (March 3)...UNLV was ranked during the 1996 season (except for the first two weeks of the season). The 1996 Rebels were 43-17 and captured the 1996 Big West Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Regionals...Three WAC schools are ranked in the ESPN poll (Rice, Hawai'i, UNLV)...UNLV is batting .347 as a team (234-for-674) with 82 extra bse hits (50 doubles, 9 triples and 23 home runs) and fielding .954 with 35 errors in 19 games...The team ERA is 4.64...The WAC schedule features 30 league games with six teams qualifying for the WAC Tournament on May 13-16, at San Diego, Calif.

UNLV BASEBALL PLAYER-BY-PLAYER NOTES:

CHRIS ADOLPH: The junior outfielder from Fresno, Calif., has appeared in 18 games and is batting .338 (25-for-74) with 7 doubles and 13 RBI. He was 4-for-7 in two games against Southern Utah (Feb. 3-4). He was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI against Utah on Feb. 8. He was 3-for-5 against UNR on Feb. 16. Batted .444 (8-for-18) over a four-game stretch (Feb. 14-16 vs. Southern Illinois and UNR). He had a career-high 14-game hitting streak (Jan. 30 - Feb. 20). He has compiled 8 multiple hit games. He has hit safely in 15 of 18 games.

BRAD BEASLEY: The freshman catcher from Las Cruces, N.M. has appeared in three games and is batting .692 (9-for-13) with 7 runs scored. He was 4-for-6 with 4 runs scored in his first collegiate start against Utah on Feb. 8. He was 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored against Southern Illinois on Feb. 15. He was 1-for-3 against Fresno State on Feb. 28.

SEAN CAMPBELL: The junior catcher from Fresno, Calif., has appeared in 18 games and is batting .343 (24-for-70) with 5 home runs (tied for team lead) and 17 RBI. He batted .500 (4-for-8) in two games against UC Santa Barbara (Jan. 30, Feb. 1). Batted .583 (7-for-12) in the Utah series (Feb. 6-8). He was 3-for-3 against the Utes on Feb. 6. He was 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored against UNR on Feb. 15. He was 1-for-4 with 3 RBI against Fresno State on Feb. 28. His two-out three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, led UNLV to a come from behind 5-4 win. He has compiled 7 multiple hit games. Hit safely in 15 of 18 games.

TONY DeMARCO: The sophomore first baseman from Las Vegas has appeared in 16 games and is the team's leading hitter at .417 (25-for-60) with 14 RBI. He was 3-for-3 with 4 RBI against UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 1. He was 5-for-6 against Pepperdine on Feb. 10. His two-run triple in the bottom of the 12th won the game for UNLV (8-7 over the Waves). He was 3-for-5 against UNR on Feb. 13. He batted .500 (4-for-8) in the Cal State Fullerton series (Feb. 20-21). He was 0-for-2 against Fresno State on Feb. 27 and left the game in the eighth inning when he was spiked in the right heel. He missed the final two games of the series. He has compiled 7 multiple hit games. He has hit safely in 13 of 16 games.

KEVIN EBERWEIN: The junior third baseman from Las Vegas was a preseason third-team All-American by Baseball America. He has appeared in 18 games and is the team's second-leading hitter at .383 (31-for-81) with 11 doubles (team lead) and 20 RBI. He was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles in the season opener against UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 30. He batted .625 (5-for-8) in two games against Southern Utah (Feb. 3-4). He was 3-for-5 against UNR on Feb. 13. He was 4-for-4 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI against Southern Illinois on Feb. 14. He was 2-for-5 with 2 doubles against Fresno State on Feb. 27. He has compiled 10 multiple hit games (52 in his career). He has hit safely in 16 of 19 games. He has appeared in 130 career games and is batting .354 (170-for-480), which ranks him 10th all-time in UNLV history.

BRYAN GIDGE: The junior right-hander from Yakima, Wash., has appeared in 4 games and has a 2-0 record with a 2.84 ERA in 19 innings. Has allowed 15 hits and struck out 15. He defeated UC Santa Barbara in the season opener on Jan. 30. He pitched 6.2 innings, allowed 4 hits, no earned runs and struck out 4. He recorded his second victory against Southern Utah on Feb. 4. He pitched 6 innings and allowed 1 run and struck out 6. He missed two and half weeks with a tender right elbow. Returned against Fresno State on March 1. He pitched 3.1 innings and allowed 5 runs in a no decision.

CHRIS GILLETTE: The junior second baseman from Missoula, Montana, has appeared in 17 games and is batting .359 (23-for-64) with 7 doubles. He was 3-for-5 with a double and home run in the season opener against UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 30. He was 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored against UNR on Feb. 13; 3-for-6 with 2 doubles against Southern Illinois on Feb. 14. He was 2-for-4 against No. 13 Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 20. He was 2-for-5 and 2-for-4 against Fresno State (Feb. 27-28). Batting .400 (16-for-40) over his last 10 games. He has compiled 9 multiple hit games.

RYAN HAMILL: The freshman catcher/designated hitter from Woodland Hills, Calif., has appeared in 11 games and is batting .267 with 4 home runs and 8 RBI. He was 2-for-4 with his first collegiate home run and 3 RBI against Utah on Feb. 6. He hit a pinch-hit home run to tie the game against Pepperdine on Feb. 11. He was 2-for-5 with a solo home run against Southern Illinois on Feb. 15. He was 1-for-4 with a three-run home run against UNR on Feb. 16.

HENRY JONES: The junior outfielder from Los Angeles, Calif., has appeared in 11 games and is batting .250 (9-for-36). He was 2-for-4 against Utah on Feb. 7 and 3-for-4 against the Utes on Feb. 8. He was 2-for-6 against Pepperdine on Feb. 10. He was 1-for-3 with 1 RBI against No. 13 Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 20.

RYAN LUDWICK: The sophomore outfielder from Las Vegas was a second-team preseason All-American by Baseball America. He has appeared in 19 games and is batting .343 (24-for-70) with 9 doubles (second on team) and is tied for the team lead with 5 home runs and team-leader with 21 RBI. He was 1-for-4 and hit his first collegiate grand slam against Southern Utah on Feb. 4. He compiled four straight multiple hit games against Utah and Pepperdine (Feb. 7-10) and batted .667 (10-for-15). He was named the WAC's Player of the Week (Feb. 9). He was 3-for-4 with 3 doubles against Utah on Feb. 8. He was 2-for-5 with a home run against UNR on Feb. 13. He was 2-for-4 with 1 RBI against No. 13 Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 20. He was 2-for-3 with a key double in UNLV's come from behind 5-4 victory over Fresno State on Feb. 28. He has compiled 8 multiple hit games. He has hit safely in 14 of 18 games.

ANDY McCULLOCH: The sophomore right-hander from Las Vegas has appeared in 7 games and has a 3-0 record with a 1.50 ERA. He has pitched in 12 innings and has struck out 11. He is second on the staff with 2 saves. Pitched 2.1 innings and recorded the save in the season opener against UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 30. Recorded his second save with 1 scoreless inning against Utah on Feb. 6.He recorded his first victory over UNR on Feb. 13. Pitched 1.2 innings and allowed 7 runs (no earned). Recorded his second victory against No. 13 Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 20. He pitched 1.2 innings and allowed 1 run and struck out 2. He pitched two scoreless innings in relief against Fresno State on March 1 to record his third victory.

JESSE PRYOR: The sophomore outfielder from Tucson, Ariz., has appeared in 15 games and is batting .352 (19-for-54) with 19 RBI. He was 2-for-4 against UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 1. He was 2-for-5 with 3 runs scored 1 home run and 3 RBI against Utah on Feb. 8. He was 3-for-5 with 4 RBI against Southern Illinois on Feb. 15. He batted .400 (2-for-5) in the Cal State Fullerton series (Feb. 20-21). He was 1-for-3 with a three-run triple in the first inning against Fresno State on March 1. He has a career-high 11-game hitting streak (Feb. 8-27) He has hit safely in 14 of 19 games. He has compiled 6 multiple hit games.

ELIOTT SARABIA: The junior shortstop from Rialto, Calif., has appeared in 19 games and is batting .286 (18-for-63) with 10 RBI. A solid defensive shortstop, he is fielding .959. He was 2-for-5 with 1 RBI against Utah on Feb. 8. He was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI against Southern Illinois on Feb. 14. He was 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored against UNR on Feb. 16. He batted .286 (2-for-7) in the Cal State Fullerton series (Feb. 20-21). He batted .444 (4-for-9) with 2 RBI in the Fresno State series (Feb. 27 - March 1). He had a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead UNLV to a 6-5 victory over Fresno State on March 1.

JIMMY SMITH: The junior right-hander from Olympia, Wash., has appeared in 7 games and leads the staff with 4 saves. He has a 2.61 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched and has struck out 12. He recorded both saves over UNR on Feb. 13 and Feb. 15, working a total of 2.2 scoreless innings against the Wolf Pack. He registered his third save against No. 13 Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 20. He pitched one scoreless inning and struck out 1. He retired the final two batters against Fresno State on March 1 to record his fourth save.

NATE SMITH: The junior outfielder from Las Vegas has appeared in 12 games and is batting .368 (14-for-38) with 9 RBI. He was 2-for-3 against UC Santa Barbara in the season opener on Jan. 30. He was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI against Southern Illinois on Feb. 14 and 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI against Southern Illinois on Feb. 15. He had a pinch-hit single against No. 13 Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 21. Batting .800 (4-for-5) as a pinch-hitter in two seasons at UNLV. He has compiled 4 multiple hit games.

JERIMIAH TIPTON: The senior right-hander from Las Vegas has appeared in 5 games and has a 1-0 record with a 4.42 ERA in 18.1 innings pitched. He pitched 5 innings in relief against Pepperdine on Feb. 11. He allowed five hits and two earned runs. He recorded his first victory of the season against UNR on Feb. 15. He pitched 5.1 innings and allowed 4 earned runs. He allowed only one hit in the first five innings.

MIKE ZIPSER: The junior right-hander from Las Vegas has appeared in 6 games and is 4-1 with a 3.45 ERA. He has pitched in 44.1 innings and has walked only 6 batters and has struck out a team-leading 36. He defeated UC Santa Barbara in his first start on Feb. 1. He pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs. He defeated Utah on Feb. 6 for his second victory. He pitched 8 innings, allowed 3 runs and struck out a career-high 9 batters. He recorded his third victory against UNR on Feb. 16. He notched the team's first complete game of the season. He allowed only 4 hits, 1 run and tied his career-high with 9 strikeouts. He suffered his first defeat of the season against No. 13 Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 21. He pitched 5.2 innings and allowed 6 earned runs. He recorded his fourth victory of the season against Fresno State on Feb. 28. Pitched his second complete game of the season. He allowed 7 hits, 1 earned run and struck out 7. He allowed only one hit over the final seven innings.