Feb. 3, 2006

Final Stats

MALIBU, Calif. - UNLV baseball opened its 2006 season with a tough loss to No. 13 Pepperdine, giving up a pair two-run leads and losing 5-4 on a run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday afternoon.

With the scored tied at four in the final frame, Adrian Ortiz led off with a single to left field off Rebel reliever Alex Chalfant, who had just worked a scoreless eighth inning. Ortiz stole second and then moved to third when Chalfant's pickoff attempt went into center field. Pepperdine catcher Chad Tracy, the reigning West Coast Conference player of the year, then ended the game with a run-scoring single to left field.

Chalfant (0-1) took the loss for the Rebels while Brett Hunter (1-0) worked the final 1.2 innings to pick up the win.

Trailing 1-0 heading into the third inning, UNLV tied the game and then took the lead with two solo home runs, both coming off the bats of Rebel newcomers.

In the top of the third inning freshman Xavier Scruggs slugged a home run over the left field fence on the second-ever pitch he saw in his collegiate career, knotting the game at one. An inning later Chad Miller gave UNLV its first lead, drilling his first career home run for a 2-1 Rebel advantage. Miller had a strong game in his debut, going 2-3 as the designated hitter before being removed in the seventh inning for a pinch runner.

UNLV starter Koji Pupo got out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth inning, when he got Tracy to ground out to third with the bases loaded to end the threat. That preserved a 2-1 UNLV that would not last much longer, as the Waves scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at two. That inning could have been much worse for the Rebels, who saw the Waves load the bases for the second-straight inning, this time with only one out. Pupo once again wriggled out of trouble, inducing two ground outs that got UNLV out of the inning allowing just one run. Pupo tossed a strong game as the junior left hander allowed just two runs, one earned in six innings of work.

UNLV retook the lead in the top of the seventh inning, using an error by Pepperdine to plate two runs. Miller led of the inning with a single and after a pop out, CJ Lang singled, putting runners on first and second. Braden Walker then singled to left field and pinch-runner Troy Harlander scored and Lang advanced to second as Waves leftfielder Brandon Daguio misplayed the ball. Walker then got caught in a run down on a pick-off attempt but he delayed long enough for Lang to reach home ahead of a throw for a 4-2 UNLV lead.

Blake Gailen was brought out of the Rebel bullpen and he hit the first batter he saw and then gave up a single to start the bottom of the seventh inning, bringing Waves slugger Tracy to the plate. UNLV head coach Buddy Gouldsmith countered with reliever Eric Brock, who worked Tracy to a full count before striking him out swinging. Brock then got another strike out and then had a 0-2 count on Donald Brown but could not finish him off, as Brown laced a singled down the left-field line that scored two, again tying the score at 4-4.

The Rebels had a chance in the eighth inning to take the lead for the third time in the game when Cruz was hit by a pitch with one out, advanced to second on a balk and after a ground out moved to third on a wild pitch. Efren Navarro Jr. then drew a bases-loaded walk and Hunter hit Ryan Bird to load the bases for the Rebels, bringing up Lang. After taking a ball on the first pitch, Lang lofted a fly ball to center field that ended the threat.

Chalfant, the fourth pitcher of the game for the Rebels, kept the Waves off the board in the eighth and then Hunter matched that with a scoreless top of the ninth for Pepperdine, setting up the bottom half of the inning.

UNLV and Pepperdine continue their series tomorrow afternoon with the second game of the set slated to start at 1:00 p.m. (PST) with Barry Enright slated to get the start for the Waves. The Rebels' starting pitcher will be a game-day decision.