April 3, 2008

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball had a four-run lead heading into the eighth inning, but BYU scored four runs in that frame and then three in the 10th to win 10-7 on Thursday night at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

With a pair of Cougars on base, J.T. Musso hit a 2-1 pitch off of UNLV closer Adam Moser over the left-field wall with two outs in the 10 th for a 10-7 lead. The Rebels then went in order in the bottom half of the frame to end the game.

UNLV saw its record fall to 12-14 overall and 4-3 in the Mountain West, as Moser (4-2) took the loss, as he gave up the three runs on three hits in two innings of work. BYU moved to 13-16 overall and 4-3 in league play as well, with Jared Miller (3-1) earning the win.

It was the third extra-innings game of the season for the Rebels, who are now 1-2 this year when the game moves past the ninth inning. Both teams had chances to win the game in the ninth, but could not capitalize and keep it from going extras.

BYU put its leadoff man on when Brandon Relf lead off the inning with a single and then stole second base against Moser. The senior shut down the threat himself, striking out the next three batters he faced to keep it a tied ball game heading into the bottom half of the ninth. UNLV also had a chance to keep the game from going extras, putting runners on the corners but J.J. Sferra popped out to end the threat.

UNLV first baseman Xavier Scruggs gave the Rebels their first lead of the night in the bottom of the sixth, drilling a two-run home run off of BYU starter Jordan Muir that went over the left-field wall for a 5-3 advantage. It was his team-leading seventh home run of the season for Scruggs, who would later add an RBI single an inning later.

BYU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, scoring two runs in the second on a Kent Walton triple on a ball that got by Rebel right fielder Rance Roundy and rolled all the way to the wall. The Cougars then tacked on another run in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Kasey Ko that made it a three-run lead for the visitors.

UNLV responded though by scoring the game's next seven runs to grab the lead and go out in front by four runs at 7-3.

The rally started in second inning, as Sferra singled home a run and Bryan Resnick scored from third on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 3-2. UNLV tied the game in the fourth when Muir made an errant throw to first on a come backer that sailed into right field, allowing Michael Brenly to score from second.

In the fifth Jesse Wight led off the frame with a single, bringing Scruggs to the plate and the slugger proceeded to break the tie with the dinger to left. UNLV added a pair of runs in the sixth, scoring a run on an error and another on a single by Scruggs.

That lead would disappear in the eighth as the Cougars plated four runs in the frame to tie the game at seven. The big blow of the rally was a double by Bryce Ayoso with the bases loaded that cleared the bags and turned a three-run BYU deficit into a 7-7 ball game.

Scruggs finished the game with three RBI on a pair of hits, while Sferra and Resnick each had two hits as well on evening, part of a 10-hit attack for the Rebels. Rebel starter Matt Hutchison put together a solid start, giving up three runs on five hits before leaving the game with one out in the seventh.

UNLV and BYU continue their series on Friday, with the second game at Wilson Stadium set to begin at 6:30 p.m. (PT)