March 4, 2008

Final Stats

TUCSON, Ariz. - UNLV hung with No. 1 Arizona, but a late-inning home run proved to be the difference as the Rebels lost to the Wildcats, 6-5, on Tuesday evening at Frank Sancet Stadium.

It was the first time that the Rebels, now 5-4 on the season, left the friendly confines of Earl E. Wilson Stadium as they opened the year with eight straight games at home. UNLV reliever Michael Goodman (0-1) took the loss, giving up a solo home run to C.J. Ziegler in the bottom of the seventh that broke a 5-5 tie. UA, ranked No. 1 in the country by Baseball America, moved to 6-1 on the season, with Cory Burns (1-0) earning the win and Jason Stoffel picking up his fourth save.

Down two runs following an inside-the-park home run by Colt Sedbrook in the bottom of the second, the Rebels responded by scoring three runs of their own in the top of the third to take a one-run lead.

J.J. Sferra and Jesse Wight singled with one out and then Xavier Scruggs drew a walk off of Wildcat starter Mike Colla to load the bases. Colla struck out Rance Roundy, bringing UNLV third baseman Steve Rinaudo to the plate with two out. Rinaudo took a 1-1 pitch to center field, clearing the bases for a 3-2 Rebel lead.

T.J. Steele hit a solo home run as part of a two-run fifth inning for the Wildcats, which gave them the lead at 4-3, and then the two teams traded runs in the fifth inning. UNLV then tied the game in the top of the sixth inning when Roundy singled with two outs, bringing in Sferra to knot the score at five.

The Wildcats, though, scored the last run of the game however, when Ziegler took on 0-1 pitch from Goodman over the left-field fence with two outs.

Rinaudo finished the game going 2-for-3 with the three RBI and a run scored to pace the Rebel offense, while Sferra scored two runs as well.

UNLV and Arizona conclude their series tomorrow, with the first pitch slated for 1:00 p.m. from Frank Sancet Stadium in Tucson.