Feb. 10, 2007
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - It was a rough afternoon on the mound for UNLV baseball, as the Rebels gave up 10 runs over the first four innings in a 13-4 loss to visiting No. 9 Cal State Fullerton on Saturday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
A day after the Rebels nearly upset the nationally-ranked Titans, almost nothing went right for UNLV as it fell to 3-5 in losing its second straight following a three-game winning streak. Matt Hutchison (0-2) took the loss, giving up six runs on five hits in just one inning of work. CSF won its fifth straight, improving to a perfect 5-0 on the year with Jeff Kaplan (1-0) giving up one run over five innings to pick up the win.
Hutchison got the first out of the game but then gave up five consecutive hits and a sacrifice fly that the Titans turned into four runs to grab the early lead. Fullerton tacked on three more runs in the second, chasing Hutchison before he could get an out in the second. Following a scoreless third the Titans pushed three more runs to go up 10-0.
UNLV broke up the shutout, scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, loading the bases with no one out on singles by Braden Walker and Keith Smith to go with a walk by Efren Navarro Jr. against Kaplan. Rebel designated hitter Chad Miller came to the plate and worked the count full before striking out for the first out of the inning. Blake Gailen got a run home on a ground out but Kaplan got Xavier Scruggs to fly out to get out of the inning.
Following the first four innings the Rebels settled down, thanks in large part to the pitching of freshman left-hander Michael Goodman out of the bullpen. In just the second appearance of his career, the Rebel freshman worked 4.1 scoreless innings, striking out three and walking one while giving up just one hit.
The Rebels put together a rally in the seventh, scoring three runs in the frame to pull within six at 10-4, with the big hit a two-RBI single by Smith with the bases loaded. Navarro Jr. then came up with the chance to do more damage and worked the count full before grounding out sharply to second.
UNLV finished the game with 10 hits, just two less than Fullerton, but one of the differences in the game was on the mound. Rebel pitchers combined to hit six batters while walking three more compared to just three walks by CSF hurlers.
Smith finished the game 2-4 with a pair of RBI and Gailen and Ryan Kowalski also collected two hits on the afternoon. Jake Vazquez led the Titans, going 3-5 with four RBI and three runs scored, including hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
UNLV and CSF wrap up their three-game series Sunday with the first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. (PST) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. Rebel junior Kevin Skogley will be on the mound going against Titan starter Sean Urena. Fans who attended either Runnin' Rebel basketball game against TCU this past Wednesday or Wyoming on Saturday can bring in their ticket stub for reduced admission to the game.
