May 2, 2002

PROVO, Utah - The UNLV baseball team lost three straight at home to BYU earlier this season and exacted a little revenge on Thursday night with a 19-6 victory in Provo. The Rebels used a Mountain West Conference record 28 hits to score 19 runs.

The win improves the Rebels to 25-23 overall, 10-12 in the MWC. The Cougars fall to 17-25-1, 10-11 in league play.

UNLV starter Robbie Van (5-5) picked up the win. He kept the Cougars scoreless through four innings before giving up four in the fifth and a single run in each of the next two innings. He went 6.2 innings, giving up 12 hits and striking out three. With the win, Van has won four of his last six starts and has not picked up a loss during that run.

Donnie Watts and Jake Gann combined to finish the game without giving up a hit. Watts pitched 1.1 innings, while Gann pitched the final inning.

The loss goes to Jeff Mouser (7-4). He gave up seven runs off 13 hits in four innings of work.

Garett Shitanishi was a perfect 6-for-6 in the game, tying the school record for the most hits in a single game. He shares the record with four other Rebels (Ed Crow, Gus Kennedy, Stacy Kleiner and Adam Manley). A single up the middle in his final at-bat against New Mexico last Sunday gives him seven consecutive hits. The school record is eight, held by six former Rebels.

Brent Johnson finished the game 4-for-6 with a pair of doubles. He drove in two runs and scored three times.

Ryan Ruiz, Joe Wickman, Robert VanKirk and Tony Schuler all contributed three hits each. VanKirk had two doubles and his third home run of the season.

BYU was led by Dave Jenson who went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored.

UNLV and BYU continue the three game series on Friday night at 6 p.m. PST.