Feb. 16, 2007

Final Stats

BERKELEY, Calif. - UNLV baseball fell behind early and rallied late but could not come all the way back in dropping the opener of a three-game series with Cal 8-4 on Friday afternoon at Evans Diamond.

The Rebels gave up the first six runs of the game and were behind 8-1 entering the seventh inning before mounting a rally to get back in the game. The seven-run deficit was too much though and UNLV saw its record go to 4-6 on the year with starter Craig Heyer (1-2) taking the loss. Cal improved to 5-2 with starter Craig Bennigson (1-1) earning the win for the Golden Bears.

Cal opened the scoring, pushing a run across the board in the bottom of the first before taking a commanding 6-0 lead by plating five runs in the second. The Golden Bears scored the five runs on four hits, with Charlie Cutler and David Cooper both hitting two-run doubles off of Heyer.

UNLV got on the board in the third on a RBI ground out by Calvin Beamon that scored Michael Brenly to make the score 6-1. Brenly started the inning with a walk and then moved to third on a double by Rance Roundy with out. The Rebels only got one run across the plate though, as Beamon grounded out to score one run and then Braden Walker grounded out to end the threat.

Once he got settled in, Heyer was effective and kept Cal off the scoreboard over the next three innings before running into trouble again in the sixth. He hit a batter and then an error followed, putting two men on and ending Heyer's day. He finished the afternoon working five-plus innings, striking out five batters and allowing eight runs, six of them earned.

Rebel left-hander Ryan Tabor came out of the bullpen and got one out and then intentionally walked a batter to load the bases. UNLV head coach Buddy Gouldsmith then went to the pen again, bringing in right-hander Adam Moser to face pinch hitter Michael Brady, who Moser struck out. But the Rebels could not get out of the inning as Moser gave up a two-run single to Josh Satin that made it 8-1.

The Rebels cut the lead to four runs in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs on three hits to get back in the game. Chris Bonnell and Brenly singled to open up the inning and then Willie Bowman was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Cal reliever Sean Watson was brought in out of the bullpen and walked pinch hitter Efren Navarro Jr. to make the score 8-2. Beamon then reached on a fielder's choice, beating out a potential double-play grounder that scored another run to make it 8-3 with runners on the corners with one out.

Beamon got caught trying to steal for the second out of the inning before Walker drove in Bowman at third with an RBI double to make it an 8-4 ball game. UNLV could not extend the inning as Keith Smith struck out to end the rally.

UNLV then loaded the bases with one out in the top of the eighth, but Cal reliever Matt Gorgen got out of the jam by striking out Bowman and Navarro Jr., preserving the four-run lead.

Beamon drove in a pair of runs on the afternoon and Brenly crossed the plate twice for the Rebels, who finished the game with nine hits but also committed three errors. Satin and Cooper each drove in three runs for the Golden Bears, which had eight hits as a team but did not commit an error in the game.

UNLV and Cal continue their series Saturday, with game time slated for 1:00 p.m. (PST) at Evans Diamond.