May 13, 2008

Final Stats

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UNLV and UC Riverside carried a tied ball game into the sixth inning, but the Rebels allowed seven runs in the bottom of the frame in a 12-5 loss to the Highlanders at the Riverside Sports Complex on Tuesday night.

It was the final non-conference game of the regular season for the Rebels, who dropped to 20-33 overall, the fifth straight loss for the club. UNLV reliever Patrick Darrow (0-1) was charged with the loss as he gave up the first three runs in the sixth. UCR moved to 19-27 on the year, with Kolby Moore (1-0) earning the win in relief.

The score was knotted at four heading into the sixth, but the Highlanders blew the game wide open with their big inning, which included four unearned runs on three Rebel errors.

UNLV used the long ball to grab leads of 3-1 and 4-3 early in the game. Xavier Scruggs hit his Mountain West Conference-leading 19th home run in the third inning, a two-run shot to center field. The round tripper capped a three-run from for the Rebels, who also got a run on a run-scoring single by Bryan Resnick.

Jesse Wight then led off the fourth inning with a solo home run, giving the Rebels a one-run advantage at 4-3. UCR tied the game in the fifth before taking the lead for good in the sixth.

UNLV's final run of the game came in the ninth inning, an RBI ground out by Scruggs for the final tally on the scoreboard.

Scruggs finished the game with three RBI and a run scored while batting leadoff, and Drew Beuerlein and Wight each had two hits as the Rebels finished with eight as a team. UCR collected 13 hits on the evening, led by Drew Garcia, who had three hits and drove in three runs.

UNLV will now close out its regular season with three Mountain West Conference games on the road at Air Force, beginning Thursday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. (PST) at Colorado Springs. The Rebels will then travel to the MWC Tournament, which starts May 20 in Fort Worth, Texas.