March 30, 2007
Final Stats
SALT LAKE CITY - Ryan Kowalski's two-run single in the top of the 11th inning gave UNLV baseball a 7-5 win over Utah and it completed a Rebel comeback that saw them down five runs at one point on Friday afternoon.
Trailing 5-0 after the first inning at Franklin Covey Stadium, the Rebels scored the game's final seven runs, including the pair in extra innings to win its third-straight and improve to 13-19 on the year, 2-2 in Mountain West Conference play. Adam Moser (4-1) worked the final three innings and did not allow a run and gave up just three hits to collect the win. Utah fell to 9-16 overall, 2-2 in the MWC, with Brett Bruneel (0-1) taking the loss.
With one out and Blake Gailen on second, the Utes intentionally walked Efren Navarro Jr., and the pair stole second and third and Utah then issued another intentional pass to Michael Brenly, loading the bases. Bruneel struck out Rebel pinch hitter Kyle Kretchmer looking, bringing Kowalski to the plate. The senior delivered in the clutch, singling to center field to bring in the game-winning runs.
The Utes got to Rebel starter Ryan Tabor early, scoring five runs and chasing him from the game after he recorded just one out in his shortest outing of the season. But those five runs would be all that the Utes would get, as UNLV left-hander Kevin Skogley threw 7.2 innings of scoreless baseball followed by Moser's scoreless three innings.
Skogley gave up just four hits and struck out five to keep the Rebels in the game.
Kowalski put UNLV on the board in the second with an RBI single and then the Rebels scored three more runs in the third to pull within one at 5-4. Calvin Beamon led off the inning with a home run, Navarro Jr. hit a sacrifice fly and then Brenly capped the rally with an RBI single.
UNLV then tied the game in the eighth on an RBI single by Beamon that scored Braden Walker to knot the score at five. Beamon finished the game going 4-for-6 with two RBI and a run scored and Kowalski had a pair of hits in five at-bats to go with his three RBI.
UNLV and Utah continue their series tomorrow with game time at Franklin Covey Stadium set for 12:00 p.m. (PT).
