April 7, 2005
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - For the third time this season the Rebels were shut out as UNLV lost 5-0 to BYU on Thursday night despite strong winds blowing out of Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
With conditions almost identical to this past Sunday, when the Rebels scored 16 runs and hit three home runs, UNLV's offense was held silent the entire game by BYU starter Dave Horlacher (3-1). The right-hander threw a complete game, limiting UNLV to just four hits. UNLV fell to 14-20 and 8-2 in the Mountain West Conference, a game back now of BYU, which moved its mark to 22-7-1 overall, 9-1 in league play.
UNLV got a runner to second base just three times in the game, but had a golden opportunity to cut into a 5-0 deficit in the fifth. The rally was defused however by two great BYU defensive plays.
Matt Fry led off the frame with a double and Ryan Bird followed with a walk, putting two men on with no out for the Rebels, bringing CJ Lang to the plate. Lang laced a rocket down the third-base line that was snagged out of the air by Cougar third baseman Brandon Taylor, saving a run. Ryan Kowalski followed with a fly out but JC Sibley drew another walk off of Horlacher, loading the bases again for UNLV with Mike Cruz coming to the plate. Cruz hit a hard line drive as well, but Marcos Villezcas made the grab at shortstop to end the inning.
Rebel starter Matt Luca (3-5) took the loss for UNLV, giving up five runs, all earned, in seven innings of work.
BYU got to Luca in the second inning, scoring a run on an RBI single by Ryan Chambers and another on a sacrifice fly by Casey Nelson, making the score 2-0. In the fourth inning the Cougars added three more to their lead, using a two RBI double by Sean McNaughton and a RBI double from Villezcas to push the margin to 5-0.
UNLV and BYU continue their three-game set Friday night with the second game of the series set to start at 6:30 (PT) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. Koji Pupo (3-0) will take the mound for the Rebels while Brandon Christiansen (3-0) gets the start for the Cougars.
