May 2, 2006

Final Stats

IRVINE, Calif. - Moments after UNLV baseball had grabbed the lead in the top of the 15th inning on a run-scoring error, UC Irvine used a two-run single in the bottom of the frame to come from behind and win 4-3 on Tuesday night at Anteater Stadium.

With men on second and third and one out and UNLV leading 3-2, Rebel left hander Chris Saddoris gave up a single to UCI shortstop Ben Orloff on a 2-2 count that scored both runners, ending the marathon game.

UNLV dropped to 19-27 on the year and Saddoris (5-7) was charged with the loss. UCI improved to 29-17 and Dylan Axelrod (3-2) benefited from the rally and picked up the win despite the fact that he gave up the Rebel run in the 15th.

The Rebels took the lead in the top of the 15th inning and it was the first run either team had scored since the third inning, when UNLV scored two runs to tie the game at two.

With one out and the bases loaded in the top of the 15th, CJ Lang hit a sharp ground ball to UCI third baseman Tyler Vaughen, who went to home to get the second out of the frame. Anteater catcher Jeff Wurhun then tried to complete the double play, but his throw to first was wide and hit Lang and then the glove of first baseman Jaime Martinez, rolling toward second. The error allowed Rebel catcher Albert Zerega Jr. to score from second, giving the Rebels a short-lived 3-2 lead.

It was the longest game of the season for the Rebels, who earlier this year lost to Eastern Michigan 9-7 in 13 innings back on Feb. 24 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The longest game in UNLV history was a 17-inning, 1-0 win over Pacific during the 1970 season.

UCI got on the board first, pushing two runs across the plate in the bottom of the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead. Jaime Martinez hit a single back up the middle with runners on second and third that put the Anteaters on the board.

UNLV then knotted the game at two in the third on a double by Lang and an RBI ground out by Keith Smith that made the score 2-2. Mike Cruz was hit by a pitch to start the inning and then following a pop out Ryan Kowalski hit a single to put two men on for Lang. He then laced a double down the left-field line that scored Cruz and moved Kowalski to third. Smith then drove in Kowalski on a ground out to tie the game.

That is the way the game would stay until the 15th as both teams starters and bullpens were effective throughout the night.

After giving up the two runs in the first inning, UNLV starter Ryan Tabor kept UCI off the scoreboard, working 6.2 innings and striking out five while walking one before turning the ball over to Jabe Beard. Anteater starter Justin Cassel was just as effective, giving up just two runs over nine innings of work, striking out five as well.

But as good as those two were, Beard was flat out dominating.

After coming into the game with two outs in the sixth, Beard handcuffed the Anteater hitters over the next six-plus innings. Beard struck out a career-high eight batters in 6.1 innings, including the UCI side in the bottom of the 12th. He gave up just four hits and walked one before he turned the ball over to Saddoris in the 14th inning.

UNLV finished the game with just six hits compared to 17 for UCI, which stranded 18 runners on the evening. Lang had two hits and an RBI in seven at bats and Orloff and Cody Cipriano each had three hits for the Anteaters.

The Rebels are now 2-2 in extra-inning games this year and Tuesday night's loss was the first extra-inning road game that UNLV had played this year.

UNLV wraps up its eight-game road trip by playing its final non-conference opponent of the regular season, traveling to Tucson, Ariz., for a three-game set against Arizona that gets underway Friday at 7:00 p.m. (PDT).