Feb. 18, 2007
Final Stats
BERKELEY, Calif. - UNLV baseball used a five-run eighth inning to come back and beat Cal 11-10 in a wild game Sunday that saw the Rebels run out to a 5-0 lead but then have to battle back to get the series victory.
Trailing by two heading into the eighth, UNLV used three run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly to plate five runs that turned an 8-6 deficit into an 11-8 advantage with six outs left. Rebel reliever Adam Moser (2-0) earned the win and Marc Baca picked up his first save as UNLV moved back to .500 at 6-6. Cal dropped to 5-4 on the season with Matt Gorgen (0-1) taking the loss.
In the game-changing eighth Calvin Beamon and Efren Navarro Jr. both hit run scoring singles and Chad Miller added a sacrifice fly to give the Rebels a 9-8 lead. Michael Brenly then capped the scoring with a single of his own that plated two for an 11-8 lead that proved to be just enough.
In the bottom of the eighth the Golden Bears had two runners on with two outs when Baca got Blake Smith to hit a ball to Rebel shortstop Braden Walker that went for a single. Walker through committed a throwing error on the play, allowing the two runs to score with Smith advancing all the way to third. Baca got the Rebels out of the inning though by striking out pinch hitter Brett Jackson.
In the ninth the Golden Bears put a pair of runners on but Baca again wriggled off the hook, getting a fly out to right field to end the game. So far this season Baca has given up just one earned run in seven appearances and he has a 0.66 ERA.
Navarro Jr. finished the game going 3-5 with four RBI and three runs scored and the sophomore got the Rebels started with a three-run home run in the first inning, his first of the year. UNLV added another run in the inning on a single by Xavier Scruggs and then scored another in the second on a single by Keith Smith that made it 5-0.
Rebel starter Kevin Skogley and the bullpen could not hang onto the lead as Cal scored eight of the next nine runs to spring ahead 8-6. Skogley lasted just 3.1 innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on seven hits before head coach Buddy Gouldsmith went to the pen.
Brenly knocked in three runs for the Rebels, outfielder Ryan Kowalksi went 3-for-5 on the afternoon and both teams finished the game with 16 hits each.
UNLV wraps up its four-game road trip on Tuesday, traveling to Los Angeles to play Loyola Marymount with the first pitch slated for 2:00 p.m. (PST).
