March 8, 2008

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - UNLV junior Corey Hales was nearly unhittable, twirling a two-hit complete game as the Rebels beat San Francisco 6-1 on a windy Saturday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

Hales gave up a hit to the second batter he faced, then didn't allow another until one out in the eighth inning in improving to 2-0 on the year and lifting the Rebels to 6-6 overall. USF dropped to 5-7 on the year, with Matt Baugh (1-2) taking the loss.

"That was just an unbelievable individual performance when we really needed it," UNLV head coach Buddy Gouldsmith said. "Hales was outstanding today on the mound."

USF leadoff hitter Zach Kim reached on an error to start the game and then following a single and a sacrifice bunt, he scored on a fly out, giving USF a 1-0 lead.

That would all that Hales would allow though, as he retired 21 of the next 22 batters he faced heading into the top of the eighth. That streak was broken by a single up the middle off the bat of pinch hitter Chris Escobar for the Dons' second base knock of the game.

Hales then closed out the game, working the Rebels' first complete game since Kevin Skogley against San Diego State on May 6, 2007. Hales walked just one and struck out six on the afternoon, and faced just four batters over the minimum.

UNLV tied the game at one in the bottom of the first inning when Ryan Thornton doubled to lead off the inning and then scored on a single by Xavier Scruggs. The Rebels then moved ahead in the bottom of the second, with Rance Roundy doubling and then later scoring on an errant throw by USF centerfielder Connor Bernantz.

Michael Brenly hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth inning and then the Rebels plated two in the fifth, scoring a run on a throwing error and then another on a RBI double by Scotty Berke. That would move the lead to 5-1 and the margin grew to 6-1 in the seventh when Berke hit an RBI groundout that scored Bryan Resnick.

Berke finished the game with two RBI and Scruggs went 2-for-4 with a runs scored to pace the Rebel offense, which finished the game with 10 hits.

UNLV and USF wrap up their three game series tomorrow afternoon, with the first pitch from Earl E. Wilson Stadium slated for 1:00 p.m. (PT).