April 22, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - After splitting the first two games of the series, the UNLV baseball team won the final regular season meeting with Utah 7-4 on Monday afternoon. The win improves the Rebels to 21-22 overall, 7-11 in Mountain West Conference play. The Utes fall to 25-19, 9-9 in league play.

UNLV starter Courtney Hall pitched 3.1 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits. He left the game with a 4-3 deficit, leaving the win to Giovanni Pupo. Pupo (2-3) pitched 3.2 shutout innings, giving up only one hit with three strikeouts.

Jeremy Weinberg and Joe Maruffi combined to finish the game, pitching a full inning each. Weinberg gave up only one hit with two strikeouts, while Maruffi struck out one and held theUtes hitless.

Utah's C. Rushton (6-3) picked up the loss. He gave up six runs on nine hits with one strikeout.

Ryan Ruiz and Brent Johnson each finished the game with a pair of hits. Johnson hit a two-run homer in the third inning.

Garett Shitanishi went 2-for-3 in the game, while six other Rebels added a single hit each.

UNLV continues its ten-game road swing with a single non-conference game at Southern Utah on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. PST.