May 10, 2008
LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball carried a one-run lead into the seventh inning, but New Mexico scored three runs before the stretch and would go on to a 7-4 win on Saturday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
With the loss UNLV fell to 20-31 on the year and 8-12 in MWC games, with starter Marc Baca (1-4) taking the loss, as he gave up six runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings of work. New Mexico moved to 31-20 overall and 15-5 in league games, with its starter, Jacob Norton (6-4) earning the win as he gave up four runs on nine hits in six innings on the mound.
New Mexico scored the first three runs of the game, plating two in the first and one in the second to jump out in front of the Rebels 3-0.
UNLV got on the board in the third, with Jarred Frierson doubling to lead off the inning and then scoring on a ground out by J.J. Sferra that made it 3-1. The Rebels tacked on another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Braden Walker to make it a one-run game before they took the lead in the sixth.
Steve Rinaudo and Frierson reached on singles with one out, then both stole their bases and moved up another 90 feet on a throwing error by UNM catcher Rafael Neda, that allowed Rinuado to score. Frierson would then cross the plate on a sacrifice bunt by Bryan Resnick, giving the Rebels a 4-3 lead.
Baca would quickly get the first two outs of the top of the seventh before running into trouble in the game-changing frame. Baca walked Ian Hollick and gave up a single to Matt Hibbets, bringing Brian Cavazos-Galvez to the plate. He hit a sinking line-drive to left field that Scotty Berke tried catching, but it bounced below his glove and rolled all the way to the wall for a two-run triple. Kevin Atkinson then laced a double, giving the Lobos a 6-4 lead.
UNM added another run in the eighth on an RBI single by Mike Brownstein that pushed the lead to 7-4.
Frierson finished the game going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored to pace the Rebel offense, which had 12 hits on the afternoon.
UNLV and New Mexico conclude their three-game series tomorrow, with the first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. (PT), and the game will be carried live by 1400 KSHP AM. It will be the final home game for Rebel seniors Adam Moser and Braden Walker, who will be honored before the game.
