May 19, 2006
Final Stats
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Keith Smith continued his hot hitting, drilling two more home runs to pace UNLV baseball as it ran by Air Force 18-3 on Friday afternoon at Falcon Field in a Mountain West Conference game.
In the series opener yesterday Smith slugged two home runs and had eight RBI in the win and so far in the series he has hit four home runs, driven in 12 runs while batting 5-9 (.555) in two games. On the year now Smith has 12 home runs, which leads the team.
UNLV improved to 26-28 and moved its record in Mountain West Conference play to 11-10 with the victory, which was picked up by left-handed starter Efren Navarro Jr. (2-1). Air Forced dropped to 10-35, 1-20 in league play with the loss, which was charged to Mitch Brown (3-10).
Following a double by Ryan Kowalski to open the game, CJ Lang got the Rebels on the board in the first inning, hitting a two-run home run for a 2-0 lead. Smith hit his first home run of the game in the second inning, a solo shot that was part of a two-run frame for UNLV and then added his second in the fourth inning. This one was a two-run shot that capped a four-run inning for the Rebels which gave them an 8-2 lead.
UNLV kept pouring it on, as Blake Gailen and Mike Cruz each added home runs as the Rebels scored nine more runs over the final four innings. The 18 runs marked the seventh-straight time that the Rebels have scored in double figures, all UNLV victories.
The run support was more than enough for Navarro Jr. to pick up win, as he gave up three runs on 10 hits over five innings of work. He was relieved by Matt Luca, who worked two scoreless innings before turning things over to Koji Pupo and Robert Gamch, who each tossed a scoreless inning to close the game.
Cruz had a big game at the plate, going 3-4 with five RBI and four runs scored, hitting two doubles to go along with his home run. Seven players had two or more hits for the Rebels on the afternoon in their 17-hit attack.
UNLV and Air Force wrap up their series tomorrow against the Falcons and it will be the final game for the Rebels before they open up play at the Mountain West Conference Tournament, which begins May 23 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas.
