March 11, 2007
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - UNLV starter Matt Hutchison put together his best performance of the season, but a seventh-inning home run was the difference as the Rebels lost to Cal Poly 2-1 on Sunday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
With the score tied at one with two out, Hutchison gave up a solo home run to Wes Dorrell that cleared the right-field fence, which proved to be the difference in the game. It capped a tough weekend at home for the Rebels, as they were swept and fell to 9-15 on the year, with Hutchison dropping to 0-4. Cal Poly improved to 13-10 with its starter, Thomas Eager, picking up the win to go to 4-1. Evan Reed came on out of the bullpen and got the final two outs for the save, and the closer earned the save in all three games in the series.
A day after the two teams combined for 31 runs and 37 hits, offense was at a premium as both Hutchison and Eager were on top of their games in front of 470 fans on a calm day at the ball park.
Hutchison kept the Cal Poly hitters off balance all afternoon in his best start in a Rebel uniform, allowing just two runs while striking out seven and giving up 10 hits. Although he gave up the 10 hits, Hutchison made sure that they were not strung together, forcing the Mustangs to strand 11 runners through seven innings of work.
With the game tied at one in the top of the seventh inning, Hutchison got the first two outs of the inning, bringing Dorrell to the plate. He drilled his second home run of the series, breaking the tie and giving the Mustangs a 2-1 lead.
Following a run by Cal Poly in the first on a run-scoring single by Dorrell, the Rebels answered with a run of their own in the fourth.
Blake Gailen walked to start the frame and after he moved to second on a sacrifice, Keith Smith drew a walk of his own, putting two runners on with Efren Navarro Jr. coming to the plate. Navarro Jr. hit a single back up the middle that scored Gailen. But that one run would be all that Eager would give up, as he got a pop out and a strike out to get out of the inning. Eager finished the game going eight innings on the mound, allowing five hits and striking out six.
UNLV remains at home as part of a 10-game homestand and the Rebels will welcome BYU into Earl E. Wilson Stadium for a three-game series that starts on Thursday and is the Mountain West Conference opener for both teams.
