June 30, 2005

LAS VEGAS - Kyle Tabeek, who helped UNLV baseball win two consecutive MWC championships, signed a free-agent contract this week with the Boston Red Sox to become the fifth player from the 2005 Rebels to join a MLB team.

Tabeek worked out of the bullpen the past two years with the Rebels and served as the club's closer in 2005, leading the league in saves with eight to go along with an overall record of 5-1. He had a 3.52 ERA and struck out 28 batters in 38.1 innings of work while walking only 16. He turned in one of the finer performances by a relief pitcher in the MWC this year in a road game against San Diego State, tossing six scoreless innings of relief in UNLV's 7-3 win that spanned 14 innings.

Tabeek is originally from Las Vegas and prepped at Bonanza High School and then went to Lassen Community College in Susanville, Calif., where he pitched for two seasons before transferring to UNLV.

Four of Tabeek's former Rebel teammates were selected in the MLB draft earlier in June - Derek Rodriguez (Chicago White Sox), Zeke Parraz (Oakland Athletics), Matt Luca (Houston Astros) and Wayne Foltin (San Francisco Giants).