April 18, 2003

Box Score

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 21st-ranked UNLV baseball team defeated Air Force 16-13 in the first game of a three-game set at Falcon Field. With the win, the Rebels improve to 30-11 and match the win mark from last season at 30-30. UNLV is now 14-3 in Mountain West Conference play. The Falcons fall to 11-24, 0-15 in league play.

UNLV starter Matt Luca (3-0) threw 5.0 innings, giving up six runs on 10 hits. He struck out four and walked one. Ben Scheinbaum gave up five runs, three earned in two innings of work.

Ryan Braun pitched the final 1.2 innings with five strikeouts and earned his fifth save.

Air Force starter Jesper Stubbendorf (3-6) picked up the loss. He gave up 11 runs off 16 hits in five innings of work.

Three Rebels belted four hits a piece. Joe Wickman went 4-for-6 with four runs scored. Brent Johnson went 4-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored. Patrick Dobson extended his hitting streak to 13 games, finishing 4-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Eric Nielsen finished the game 3-for-4 with one run scored. Peter White and Fernando Valenzuela added a pair of hits each. Valenzuela drove in three runs.

Air Force's Derck Kasel went 5-for-5 with two home runs, two RBI and four runs scored.

UNLV and Air Force play again Saturday at 1 p.m.