April 16, 2005

Final Stats

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Four different Rebels drove in at least three runs and UNLV baseball needed every one in a wild 18-15 win over Utah on Saturday afternoon at Franklin Covey Field.

CJ Lang went 4-6 with five RBI and a home run for UNLV, which at one point led 16-6 before holding on for the win in improving to 16-22 on the year, 10-4 in Mountain West Conference action. Utah scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut into the lead but could not climb all the way back and dropped to 12-21 overall, 5-9 in league play. Eric Brock (2-3) was one of just a few pitchers who did not give up a run, allowing one hit in 1.2 innings of work to pick up the win. Utah starter Matt Crocket (3-7) gave up eight runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings and was charged with the loss.

Utah scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI single by Jay Brossman, but that lead would be short lived as UNLV exploded for 14 runs over the next three innings.

The scoring barrage started in the top of the first inning when Chris Bonnell hit a solo home run down the left-field line on the first pitch he saw from Crockett, tying the game at one. Ryan Bird was then hit by a pitch and after a fly out, Tyler Beranek drilled his second home run of the year to left field, moving the score to 3-1.

UNLV added seven runs in the top of third inning as Zeke Parraz, Bird and Beranek all hit run scoring singles that pushed the Rebel lead to 6-1, chasing Crockett from the game. Steven Collora didn't fair much better for the Utes, giving up a run-scoring single to Braden Walker, a two-RBI triple to JC Sibley and a RBI single to Lang that made the UNLV margin 10-1.

Brossman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third, Utah's only home run of the afternoon, cutting the UNLV lead to 10-2. The Rebels then answered by scoring four more runs in the top of the fourth with the big blow in the inning being Bonnell's second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left center. Utah scored two runs in the bottom of the frame and after four innings it was 14-4 UNLV.

A scoreless fifth was followed by Lang ripping a two-run home run in the top of the sixth that put the Rebels up 16-4, seemingly putting the game away. But the Utes had other ideas when they came to bat in the bottom of the inning.

Utah reeled off eight runs, using four singles and two doubles to claw back into the game at 16-12. Ryder Olsen hit a three-run double and Ryan Khoury hit a single that drove in two runs during the rally.

The Rebels plated two runs in the eighth on an RBI single by Lang and a wild pitch that scored Walker, giving UNLV some breathing room at 18-12. Utah scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning with just one out, but Kyle Tabeek got a ground out and then struck out Olsen to end the game.

UNLV pounded out a season-high 21 hits, with Lang leading the way with his four. Bonnell finished the game going 3-6 with three RBI and two runs scored and his two round trippers pushed his season total to seven. Bonnell has now hit three home runs in the series against Utah. Sibley and Beranek also each drove in three runs for the Rebels.

The rubber match between the two teams is set for Sunday at 12:00 p.m. (PT) at Franklin Covey Field.