April 27, 2007
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball walked seven batters and was held in check offensively in losing 4-2 to Utah in the opener of a three-game Mountain West Conference series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium on Friday night.
The Rebels dropped to 14-30 overall, 3-10 in league games with the loss, which was the 11th in a row for the squad. Utah improved to 20-21 overall and 8-5 in MWC action.
The Utes got on the board first, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth on one hit, taking advantage of three walks and a hit batter by Heyer that made the score 3-0. It broke open a scoreless game that featured strong pitching on both sides through the first four innings.
Rebel starter Craig Heyer (4-7) gave up just the four hits over the opening four frames before running into trouble and taking the loss. Utah starter Stephen Fife (5-1) had a no hitter through four innings and did not give up a run in six innings of work, surviving a scare in the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth inning UNLV loaded the bases with just one out against Fife, bringing the Rebels' top hitter, Efren Navarro Jr., to the plate with a chance to put his team on the board. He worked the count full but then struck out on a curve ball on the outside corner for the second out of the frame. Fife then got Chad Miller to ground out to third to get out the inning unscathed.
Utah added another run in the top of the seventh on a run-scoring triple by John Welsh that scored Cory Shimada to make it 4-0.
UNLV broke through for a run in the bottom of the seventh manufactured by the hustle of left fielder Blake Gailen, who scored without the benefit of a hit after he got on base. He lead off the inning with a single, stole second and then advanced to third on the errant throw, and then scored on a wild pitch.
The Rebels attempted to mount a comeback in the final frame, getting a run in on a triple by Xavier Scruggs that drove in Blake Gailen, who had singled the previous at bat. Ute close Brett Bruneel recovered though to get the save, his fourth of the year, by striking out Michael Brenly and Jarred Frierson to end the game.
UNLV and Utah continue their series on Saturday with the first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. (PT) and the game will carried live on KSHP 1400 AM.
