March 3, 1999

LAS VEGAS - UNLV and Loyola Marymount split a two-game nonconference series on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 2-3, at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

UNLV defeated LMU 7-4 on Tuesday and LMU defeated UNLV, 20-11 on Wednesday. Junior right-hander Andy McCulloch defeated LMU on Tuesday. He recorded his first victory of the season. He pitched 8 strong innings, allowed 10 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. Senior right-hander Jimmy Smith pitched the ninth inning to record his first save.

UNLV rallied from a 4-3 deficit and scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Senior shortstop Eliott Sarabia delivered a clutch 2-run single to highlight the inning. In the game, junior All-American outfielder Ryan Ludwick singled in the first inning, to record eight consecutive hits over three games, which tied a UNLV school record. He joins Dan Murphy (1980), David Baxter (1988), James Martin (1989), Gus Kennedy (1994).

Loyola Marymount pounded out 24 hits en route to the 20-11 victory on Wednesday. LMU used a 9-run fourth inning to put the game away. Shortstop Anthony Angel was 5-for-5 with 4 runs scored; designated hitter Robert Hirsh was 3-for-5, 3 runs scored, 2 home runs and 2 RBI.

UNLV senior third baseman Chris Gillette was 4-for-6 with 4 RBI and he hit for the cycle. He was the first Rebel to hit for the cycle since Bill Max vs. Cal State Los Angeles on March 28, 1981.

UNLV will host Air Force in the WAC series opener on Friday-Saturday-Sunday, March 5-6-7 at Wilson Stadium. The game times are 3:05 p.m.; 1:05 p.m.; 1:05 p.m. The three-game series will be broadcast on KSFN 1140-AM radio with Scott Robbs and Scott Taylor.