March 2, 2008
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - On a windy day when runs were at a premium, UNLV baseball scratched out single runs in the bottom of the eighth and ninth for a 3-2 win over Maine on Sunday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
With the wind howling straight in constantly at 20-30 mph, the Rebels did just enough to win and move to 5-3 on the year, sweeping the Black Bears in the process. Adam Moser (2-0) earned the win, getting the final out in the top of the ninth inning to keep it a tie ballgame, setting up the wild bottom of the ninth.
Anthony Morel led off the bottom of ninth by dropping a base hit in shallow center field and then moved to second on a ground out to the right side of the infield. Maine reliever Will Carroll then balked, allowing Morel to move up ninety feet to third base before he walked the next two batters, loading the bases. It brought Xavier Scruggs to the plate, but he didn't see a pitch as Carroll balked, bringing in the winning run.
With the loss Maine dropped to 4-3 on the year, with Carroll taking the loss. Black Bear starter Joe Miller kept the Rebels at bay most of the game, giving up just two runs over eight innings on the mound, giving up five hits, walking three and striking out two.
UNLV starter Steve Rinaudo pitched just as well, giving up just the two runs over six innings of work on the mound, allowing just four hits while walking none and striking out two. Those two runs came in the first inning when the Black Bears scratched out three hits, scoring a run on a RBI single by Kevin McAvoy and then a double-steal.
UNLV pushed a run across the board in the bottom of the third, when Jesse Wight reached on an error, moved to third on a single and then scored on a ground out.
The Rebel pitching staff kept them in the game, as Rinaudo retired 15 of the next 16 batters he faced, before handing the ball to Michael Goodman out of the bullpen. Goodman was just as effective, retiring eight of the 10 batters he faced in his 2.2 innings of work, giving up just two hits before Moser came in to close out the ninth inning.
That suburb effort on the mound gave UNLV the opportunity to tie the game in the eighth before winning the game in the ninth.
UNLV loaded the bases on the bottom of the eighth when Wight hit a sharp single, Scruggs doubled and then Maine intentionally walked Rance Roundy to play for the double play. Michael Brenly though pushed a bunt down the right side of the infield that scored Wight, knotting the game at two.
Scruggs, who drilled three home runs in yesterday's win, went 3-for-4 on the afternoon to cap a strong weekend in which he went 9-for-12 with seven RBI over the three games.
UNLV will now hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to play Arizona in a two-game series that starts Tuesday with first pitch slated for 6:00 p.m. (PT) at Tucson, Ariz.
