May 21, 2004

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The UNLV baseball team scored a combined seven runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 13-4 victory over New Mexico on Friday at Isotopes Park to even the three-game series at one apiece.

UNLV (33-21, 20-9 MWC) scored four runs in the top of the first, all with two outs, including a Ryan Bird two-run home run. The Rebels followed that up in the second with three more runs to take a commanding 7-0 lead.

After one New Mexico run in the third, UNLV extended its lead to 8-1 on an Eddie Gill RBI single in the fourth.

The Lobos (23-27-1, 19-10 MWC) cut the lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the fourth with two runs on two solo home runs by Joe Salas and Daniel Stovall.

That was as close as New Mexico came to the Rebels as UNLV scored two more in the top of the fifth, one in the seventh and two in the ninth. Bird's second homer of the game was a two-run shot in the ninth.

Jake Vose (10-3) earned the win for UNLV, pitching seven strong innings allowing eight hits and four runs. Shane Clatterbuck finished off the game for the Rebels pitching two no-hit innings in relief.

Danny Ray Herrera (3-7) was charged with the loss for New Mexico. He only lasted 1.1 innings and gave up seven hits and seven runs.

Bird was 3-for-5 on the day with five RBI, while Zeke Parraz was 4-for-5 with four RBI. Eddie Gill also added three hits for the Rebels.

UNLV out-hit the Lobos 17-8 for the game.

The series concludes on Saturday at 11 a.m. PST.