Feb. 10, 2006
Final Stats
FULLERTON, Calif. - UNLV baseball kept it close for six innings against No. 9 Cal State Fullerton but the Rebels faltered in the seventh, giving up five runs to the Titans in a 9-1 loss Friday night.
Playing on the road against a ranked opponent for the second-straight weekend, the Rebels stayed within striking distance throughout the evening at Goodwin Field, holding the Titans to single runs in the first, third and fourth innings. It was in the seventh though that CSF blew the game wide open, plating five runs on five hits and a walk to make the score 8-0.
UNLV dropped to 1-3 on the year while CSF picked up its first win of the year to improve to 1-3. The Rebels opened the 2006 season last weekend with a three-game set at then-No. 13 Pepperdine and UNLV won the middle game of the series. CSF starter Wes Roemer earned the win, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out nine. Rebel starter Koji Pupo was credited with the loss, as he lasted three innings, giving up three runs on three hits.
While the Rebels were keeping it close, their offense was held at bay by Roemer, as UNLV mustered just two hits through the first seven innings of the game. CJ Lang got UNLV's first hit of the evening, a single in the fifth inning, and Ryan Bird added a single in the seventh.
The Rebels got on the board in the eighth inning when Blake Gailen scored on a groundout by Keith Smith that made the score 8-1. The inning started with a single by Gailen, who was then moved to third on a double by Efren Navarro Jr. Smith pushed Gailen across the plate, moving Navarro Jr. to second, but Ryan Kowalski and Mike Cruz struck out to end the inning.
UNLV finished with one run on five hits while CSF scored its nine runs on 11 hits. Brett Pill went 4-5 for the Titans while David Cooper went 2-2 with three RBI and a run scored. Justin Turner scored five runs for the Titans and David Blake crossed the plate three times.
The two teams continue their series tomorrow evening with the first pitch slated for 5:00 p.m. (PST) at Goodwin Field. Right-handed senior Matt Wagner will toe the mound for the Rebels while the Titans will counter with right hander Jared Clark.
