Feb. 4, 2005

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - UNLV's comeback bid fell short to be the Rebels' undoing Friday night as UNLV lost its season opener 3-2 to visiting Cal State Northridge before 553 fans at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, centerfielder Ryan Kowalski drew a one-out walk to start the rally. After J.C. Sibley struck out looking, senior Matt Fry roped a double into the right-center gab, scoring Kowalski and cutting the Rebels' deficit to 3-2. Cal State Northridge closer Peter Eberhardt got out of the jam, getting UNLV shortstop Zeke Parraz to fly out to deep right field to end the game.

UNLV dropped to 0-1 on the young season, while Cal State Northridge picked up its first win, improving to 1-0-1.

The Rebels got on the board in the first inning, when Efren Navarro hit a double that scored Fry after he had drew a walk. That would be all that UNLV would get off of Matador starting pitcher Craig Baker. Baker gave up just five more hits in eight innings of work, striking out four and walking three.

Rebel starting pitcher Matt Luca threw five solid innings, giving up just two runs, one unearned.

In the third inning CSUN knotted the game at one, benifiting from the last of UNLV's three errors on the night. After Chase McGuire and Erik Hagstrom drew back-to-back walks with one out, Drew Aguiliar hit a ground ball to Rebel second baseman CJ Lang, who mis-played the ball, allowing McGuire to score on the play.

The Matadors took the lead in the fourth on an RBI single by Raymond Ravago that scored Nick Mahin. In the sixth the Matadors pushed the lead to 3-1 when Michael Paulk scored on an RBI groundout by Luke Riorden. CSUN then hung on in the ninth for the win.

Both teams will be back on the diamond Saturday afternoon, as they play the middle game of a three-game series, starting at 2:00 p.m. (PST) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.