April 6, 2007

Final Stats

PROVO, Utah - UNLV overcame two different deficits but could not take the lead and ultimately lost 5-3 to BYU on Friday night at Larry H. Miller Field in the second of a three-game series.

The Rebels tied the game at three in the top of the fourth but a pair of Cougar runs in the bottom of the eighth was the difference as UNLV dropped to 14-22 and 3-5 in Mountain West Conference play. BYU improved its record to 18-13 while moving to 5-3 in league play. Entering this series UNLV and BYU were two of four teams in the MWC that had 3-3 league records.

BYU got on the board first on a Kent Walton solo home run in the second inning off of Rebel starter Craig Heyer (4-4), who went 7.1 innings and gave up all five runs in the loss. UNLV tied the game in the top half of the third on a solo home run of its own off the bat of Blake Gailen that made it 1-1.

The Cougars went right back in front in their half of the third on RBI singles from Collin Fanning and Apana Nakayama for a 3-1 advantage. But the Rebels once again answered, plating a pair of runs in the top of the fourth on a two-run single by Ryan Kowalski that scored Michael Brenly and Efren Navarro Jr.

Heyer then kept the ballgame tied at three for the Rebels over the next four frames, getting five strike outs and a pair of double plays before he ran into trouble in the eighth. He got the first out of the inning but then hit a batter and gave up a hit to end his night, finishing with seven strike outs and just one walk.

Koji Pupo came in out of the bullpen but could not get Nakayama out, as he singled in the go-ahead run for a 4-3 BYU lead. Pupo was lifted in favor of Adam Moser and he gave up a single to Walton that gave the Cougars an insurance run before Moser got a double play to get out of the frame.

Kowalski singled with one out in the top of the ninth to bring the potential game-tying run to the plate, but Chad Miller struck out and Xavier Scruggs grounded out to end the game. Cougar starter Jesse Craig (4-2) worked 8.1 innings, giving up the three runs on nine hits to collect the win.

Kowalski had a big night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three RBI and Gailen added three hits of his own, including his fourth home run of the year and a triple. But outside of those two the Rebel offense stalled, as just two other players had hits and the team had a total of nine on the evening.

UNLV wraps ups its series with BYU on Saturday, with the first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m. (PT) from Larry H. Miller Field.