Feb. 27, 2008

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball fell behind early and could not come all the way back, losing 9-5 to visiting Washington State on Wednesday night in front of 398 fans at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

The Rebels, who gave up the first eight runs of the game, cut the margin to just four runs with a four-run fourth that made it 9-5, but that would cap the scoring for both teams as UNLV fell to 2-3 on the year. WSU took both meetings in the short two-game series and improved to 4-1 on the season. UNLV starter Stephen Singer (0-1) was charged with the loss after he gave up seven runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings on the mound. Andrew Davis (1-0) was credited with the win for the Cougars, as he came out of the bullpen and pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief after the Rebels scored four runs in the fifth to get back in the game.

WSU reeled off eight runs over the second and third innings, led by John Desmarais and Shea Vucinich, as they each drove in four runs to pace a Cougar offense that plated three runs in the second inning and five in the third, chasing Singer. Vucinich hit a three-run double in the third inning and Desmarais later added a two-run double in the frame, giving the Cougars an 8-0 advantage.

UNLV got on the board in the fourth inning when Rance Roundy doubled to lead off the inning and then scored on Anthony Morel's two-out triple to right field. WSU scored a run in the top of the fifth inning to move the lead back to eight before the Rebels plated four runs in the bottom half to cut the margin in half.

J.J. Sferra started the frame with a double and following a fly out, Xavier Scruggs tripled to center field to score Sferra and make it a 9-2 game. Michael Brenly singled in Scruggs and after a fly out, Drew Beuerlein singled and then those two scored on Steve Rinaudo's double to right field, making it a 9-5 game.

But from there the Rebel bats went cold, as the squad collected just one more hit the rest of the way to finish the game with 12 on the evening. WSU had 15 hits as a team while both squads did played error-free baseball. Scruggs had three hits on the evening while Rinaudo and Sferra each had two to lead UNLV at the plate.

UNLV remains at home and will close out its season-opening eight-game homestand against the University of Maine, as the Black Bears come into Earl E. Wilson Stadium for a three-game series that starts Friday at 6:30 p.m. (PT).