Jan. 24, 2007
Click Here For The UNLV Game Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
UNLV opens its 2007 season with a three-game series on the road against Cal State Northridge in Northridge, Calif. The Rebels and the Matadors begin their set Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. (PT), which is the game time for Saturday and Sunday as well. The Rebels are the only Mountain West Conference team in action this weekend.
THE SERIES
UNLV leads the overall series with Cal State Northridge 21-15, although the last time these two teams met it was the Matadors who took two-of-three from the Rebels. In 2005 Northridge won the first two games in Las Vegas before UNLV rebounded with a 19-9 victory in the series finale.
UNLV(0-0, 0-0 Mountain West Conference)Head Coach: Buddy Gouldsmith(School: 101-83, 4th Year - Career: Same)
The Rebels: UNLV begins the season with expectations of returning to the top of Mountain West Conference. Picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, the Rebels welcome back 21 players from last year's roster, including 17 letterwinners. UNLV also will have 14 newcomers, many of whom will compete for playing time right away. UNLV returns six starters from last year's fourth-place MWC squad that finished 12-10 in conference play (29-30 overall), including 2006 all-conference member and 2007 preseason all-conference selection Keith Smith (Sr., OF) and Chris Bonnell (Sr., 1B). Smith paced the team last year with 14 home runs, 71 RBI and 18 doubles, while hitting a robust .359.
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE(0-0, 0-0 Big West Conference)Head Coach: Steve Rousey(School: 71-146-1, 5th Year - Career: Same)
The Matadors: Cal State Northridge was tabbed to finish eighth in the Big West Conference this year in the league's preseason poll. CSN finished last season 36-30, 6-15 in conference play and the Matadors return 16 letterwinners from that squad, including six position starters and six pitchers. Northridge's leading returner offensively is Jorge Andrade Jr., who hit .320 with three home runs and 19 RBI last season. Chuckie Fick will pace the starting rotation, and he was 6-7 last season with a 4.48 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 90.1 innings of work.
REBELS' LAST TIME OUT
The 2007 UNLV baseball team put up 12 runs in the first two innings to cruise to an easy 22-2 victory Saturday afternoon in the Alumni Game over a team comprised of Rebels from the past. The current Rebels knocked the ball around Earl E. Wilson Stadium with ease as they posted eight extra-base hits in the nine inning affair. Starting pitcher Matt Hutchison picked up the win as he threw five innings and surrendered one unearned run on four hits. He walked three and struck out four. Koji Pupo tossed two innings and gave up one run on one hit. Marc Baca and Adam Moser threw scoreless eighth and ninth innings. Offensively, the 2007 squad was led by a 4-for-4, two-run and one-RBI effort from Michael Brenly. Calvin Beamon, Blake Gailen and Willie Bowman all registered three hits on the afternoon and Bowman had five RBI.
