March 5, 2007
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IN THE BATTER'S BOX UNLV concludes a five-game road trip with a two-game mid-week series against Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, at Dan Law Field. The Rebels and the Red Raiders will play Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. (PST) and then wrap up the series Wednesday beginning at 11:00 a.m. Left-handers Ryan Tabor on Tuesday and Kevin Skogley on Wednesday will get the starts.
THE SERIES: UNLV leads the short all-time series with Texas Tech 3-1 although the two teams met last season in Las Vegas at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The Rebels split the two-game series, losing the opener 9-0 but then rebounded to win the second game 16-11 behind 11 fourth-inning runs.
UNLV(8-11, 0-0 Mountain West Conference)Head Coach: Buddy Gouldsmith(School: 109-94, 4th Year - Career: Same)
The Rebels: UNLV enters this week's series below .500 (8-11) after the Rebels were swept on the road at Nevada, Reno. Efren Navarro Jr. is leading the Rebels at the plate with a .397 average (23-58) and his 13 RBI are second on the team. Blake Gailen is pacing the team with 17 runs scored and a .557 slugging percentage. Michael Brenly has driven in 15 runs. Overall the Rebels have six regulars hitting .300 or better. On the mound starter Craig Heyer (2-2) has 25 strikeouts in a team-high 38.1 innings. Out of the bullpen Marc Baca is 2-1 with three saves and he has given up just three earned runs in 12 appearances. The sophomore has struck out 16 batters and has a 1.45 ERA.
TEXAS TECH(12-5, 0-0 Big 12 Conference)Head Coach: Larry Hays(School: 773-427-3, 20th Year - Career: 1,468-808-4, 36th year)
The Red Raiders: Texas Tech has won 11 of its last 13 games, including taking two-of-three from Cal State Northridge in Lubbock this past weekend. TT is being paced on offense by Roger Kieschnick, who is hitting .387 (29-75) with six home runs in 15 RBI. He is one of three Red Raiders with six round trippers on the year. Kyle Martin has hit six of his own and leads the team with 21 RBI. Four regulars in the Red Raider lineup are hitting .347 or higher. On the mound Tuesday starter Terry Schurr will be making his first start of the season and has a total of six appearances out of the bullpen. He has a 10.12 ERA.
REBELS' LAST TIME OUT: UNLV got swept on the road at in-state rival Nevada, Reno this past weekend, the first time that the Rebels had been swept this year. UNLV took a one-run lead into the eighth in the opener but could not hold it, giving up three runs in the frame to the Wolf Pack in a 5-3 loss on Friday afternoon. The Rebels once again had a lead late in the game on Saturday, a 4-3 advantage heading into the bottom of the fifth, but that would be all the Rebels would score in losing 7-4 on Saturday. Calvin Beamon had three hits on the day to lead the Rebels on the afternoon. In the closing game of the series on Sunday, the Rebels dropped a heartbreaker 2-1, with an error in the sixth inning allowing the eventual winning run to cross the plate. UNLV had two chances late in the game to tie it, but in both cases they could not get the runner home frome third to knot the score.
