April 11, 2008
Final Stats
FORT WORTH, Texas - UNLV baseball staged a late rally to tie the game, but a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the ninth gave TCU a 4-3 win in the opener of a key three-game series Friday night at Lupton Stadium.
UNLV dropped to 14-17 overall on the year and 5-5 Mountain West Conference games, with Adam Moser (4-3) took the loss, giving up a double to Ben Carruthers with two away that allowed Corey Steglich to score. TCU, which has now won seven straight following a 7-6 loss to the Rebels in Las Vegas back on March 30, improved to 21-12 overall and 6-4 in league play, with Andrew Cashner (6-1) picking up the win.
The Horned Frogs jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, plating a trio of runs in the third inning off of Rebel starter Matt Hutchison, who pitched seven strong innings, giving up just those three runs on eight hits.
Clint Arnold singled home the first run of the game and with runners on second and third, Steve Ellington singled through the left side with two outs to push two more runs home.
UNLV got on the board in the fifth, as Xavier Scruggs led off the frame with his team- and league-leading ninth home run of the season, drilling an offering from TCU ace Tyler Lockwood over the left-field wall, making it a 3-1 ball game.
The Rebels would then tie the game in the seventh, getting a two-out rally on four consecutive singles.
Braden Walker started things off with a single to left, moved up to second on a single by Michael Brenly and then scored on Joe DiMaggio's hit through the left side of the infield, making it 3-2. TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle brought in Eric Marshall out of the bullpen, and he gave up a single to Anthony Morel, knotting the game at one.
The Rebels, though, could not take the lead late, despite out-hitting the Horned Frogs by a 12-9 margin, as UNLV left 14 runners on base, including eight in scoring position. Scruggs finished the game going 3-4 with his home run while Brenly, DiMaggio and Walker each had two hits for the Rebels on the night.
UNLV and TCU continue their series tomorrow in a game that will be televised live on The Mtn., beginning at 12:00 p.m. (PT) at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth.
