April 8, 2005

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball carried a one-run lead into the eighth inning but the bullpen couldn't hold on, allowing five runs to BYU in the final two innings of the Rebels' 11-9 loss Friday night at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

The Cougars scored three runs in the eighth and another pair in the ninth to overcome a 7-6 deficit and beat the Rebels. UNLV attempted to mount a rally, scoring two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but came up short. UNLV dropped to 14-21, 8-3 in the Mountain West Conference while BYU moved its mark to 23-7-1, 10-1 in league play.

Winds wreaked havoc again at Earl E. Wilson Stadium, with gusts blowing past 35 mph out to left-center field that lifted six home runs out of the stadium, including two by BYU first baseman Ben Saylor. Of the 20 runs that were scored between the two teams, 11 of those runs were driven in via the home run.

Rebel reliever Chris Huseman (1-2) took the loss for the Rebels, as he was charged with the three runs in the top of the eighth inning that gave BYU the lead at 9-7. Saylor hit his second home run of the night in the eighth, a two-run shot. Justin Su'a (2-1) worked the final 3.2 innings for the Cougars to pick up the win, giving up two runs, both earned and striking out four.

After the Cougars scored the first run of the game on an RBI double in the second, the Rebels answered with three of their own in the third, all of them coming off the bat of Zeke Parraz.

JC Sibley singled with two out and after he stole second Mike Cruz was hit by a pitch, bringing Parraz to the plate. The senior shortstop then crushed his second home run of the year over the left-field wall for a 3-1 UNLV lead.

Saylor then tied the game in the top of the third, drilling his first home run of the night with one to make it a 3-3 ball game.

Justin Tellam gave the lead back to UNLV, hitting his team-leading ninth home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the fourth. The Rebels then reclaimed the lead an inning later on a RBI single by Chris Bonnell.

Once again though the Cougars would tie the game on a home run, this time in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run shot by Kory Knell, his first round tripper of the season.

It didn't take long for the Rebels to regain the lead, as two runs crossed the plate in the bottom half of the sixth. Ryan Bird and CJ Lang hit back-to-back doubles with one out for the first run and then Lang was driven in on a single by Ryan Kowalski, making the score 7-5.

Adrian Molina led off the top of the Cougar seventh with a solo home run to bring the Cougars within one at 7-6, setting up the final two innings.

Parraz finished the night going 2-5 with three RBI and two runs scored and Tellam was 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Saylor had a big night at the plate for the Cougars, driving in four RBI and going 3-5 at the plate with the two home runs.

UNLV and BYU wrap up their three-game set Saturday afternoon with the final game of the series set to start at 2:00 (PT) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. Derek Rodriguez (1-4) will take the mound for the Rebels while Blake Torgerson (4-1) gets the start for the Cougars.