April 8, 2006

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball scored two or more runs in each of the first four innings and the Rebels beat BYU 18-8 on Saturday afternoon in the final game of a three-game set between the two clubs.

The win came in front of 478 fans as the Rebels moved to 16-19 overall, 3-4 in the Mountain West Conference while snapping a two-game losing streak in the process. UNLV starter Ryan Tabor (2-3) pitched an effective game in getting the win, allowing four runs on eight hits to go with four strikeouts. BYU dropped to 13-18 on the year, 3-4 in league play as Brandon Christiansen (3-2) took the loss, giving up nine runs, all earned, on nine hits in two innings of work.

Ryan Kowalski got the Rebels started in the bottom of the first inning, taking the second pitch he saw from Christiansen over the left-center fence for his first home run of the year. UNLV put three more runs on the board in the frame on a run-scoring triple by Keith Smith and RBI singles by Chris Bonnell and Braden Walker.

The four runs was a sign of things to come from both teams on a day when the wind was blowing straight out to center field throughout the entire game.

Both teams put up a pair of runs in the second inning with BYU getting two runs on a home run by Adrian Molina and the Rebels got their runs on a two-run shot by CJ Lang that made the score 6-2. After the Cougars scored another run in the top of the third, the Rebels blew the game open in the bottom of the frame.

Blake Gailen started the inning with a walk, Walker was hit by a pitch and then freshman catcher Michael Brenly hit an RBI single that scored Gailen to make the score 7-2 and the Rebels were just getting started. Kowalski hit a ground out that scored a run and after two walks to load the bases, Bonnell hit a double off the left-field wall that cleared the bases, making the score 11-3.

The scoring onslaught continued in the fourth, when Brenly hit his first career home run, a two-run shot to left field that pushed the margin to 13-4. All four of the Rebel home runs in the opening four innings were to left field on the windy day. Smith added a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh that hit the top of the scoreboard in left that made the score 16-5. Scruggs then followed with a solo home run, also to left field, for the fifth home run of the game for the Rebels and a 17-5 advantage.

Smith finished the game a single away from hitting for the cycle, as the junior went 3-6 with three RBI and two runs scored. Bonnell also had a strong game, driving in five runs on the afternoon while Lang scored four times. Brenly also finished had a career day as the freshman went 3-4 with five RBI and two runs scored. UNLV rapped out 18 hits on the afternoon and did not commit and error while BYU had 14 hits and four errors.

UNLV will now head to Texas to play TCU in a three-game series against the MWC newcomers with the first game between the Rebels and the Horned Frogs set for Friday at 5:00 p.m. (PDT).