Feb. 24, 2008

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - Behind the bat of Rance Roundy, UNLV baseball staged a furious rally, scoring six runs over a two-inning span to go on to a 9-7 win against Central Michigan at Earl E. Wilson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Roundy drove in a career-high five runs, including three on a bases-loaded triple that gave the Rebels in the bottom of the sixth as the Rebels moved to 2-1 on the year in front of 406 fans. Central Michigan fell to 1-3 on the year, losing the three-game series to UNLV and also dropping a 12-8 contest to Southern Utah on Friday afternoon.

Adam Moser came out of the Rebel bullpen and settled down the staff, as he worked 2.1 scoreless innings to earn his first decision of the season. Marc Baca worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his first save of the season.

Those two helped off-set a shaky day on the mound for the Rebels, who issued 14 walks and hit two batters as a staff.

"It was important to get the series win in your first series of the year, especially at home," Gouldsmith said. "We gave up a lot of freebies with the walks, and we always try to win that each game. I am really proud of our guys for coming back today and getting the win."

Roundy was the story of the day for the Rebels, as he went 3-for-5 with two runs scored to go along with his five RBI, and the Silverado HS product missed hitting for the cycle by a home run.

The sophomore got the Rebels started early, hitting an RBI single in the bottom of the first to give his squad a 1-0 lead. After a pair of CMU runs in the third, UNLV answered back with two of its own, getting RBI hits from Michael Brenly and Drew Beuerlein to move back ahead, 3-2.

When the Chippewas regained the lead, they did it with two outs and nobody on to start their rallies in the fourth and fifth innings, taking full advantage of UNLV walks by its staff. CMU scored two in the fourth and then three in the fifth to grab a 7-3 lead after the top of the fifth. Rebel starter Steve Rinaudo walked seven and gave up four runs in 3.2 innings and David Bumstead followed by walking a pair and giving up three runs of his own over an inning of work.

UNLV chipped away at the lead though, scoring two in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by Roundy and then a RBI single by Anthony Morel to trim the lead to 7-5.

The Rebels then exploded for four in the sixth to regain the lead behind the big bat of Roundy, who hit a bases-clearing three-run triple with one out in the frame. J.J. Sferra led off the inning with a single and then Xavier Scruggs and Brenly drew one-out walks, loading the bases for Roundy, who then split the gap in left-center field. Beuerlein followed with a run-scoring single to right field that scored Roundy, giving the Rebels a 9-7 lead.

Brenly had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI while Beuerlein, Sferra and Jesse Wight had each had two hits as well. The Rebels finished the game with a season-high 15 hits on the afternoon.

UNLV continues its season-opening eight-game homestand by hosting Washington State in a two-game series that begins Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. (PT) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The game will be carried live on 1400 KSHP AM.