Oct. 19, 2009
Team Black earned one win and another matchup with Team Scarlet ended in a tie as UNLV baseball continued its Fall Ball schedule over the weekend at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
Friday evening's game saw Team Black use a three-run seventh inning to come back and earn a 6-5 victory, with Cash Thomas delivering a three-run home run with two outs to lift his team to a stunning victory. Thomas had just entered the game in the fourth inning in place of Rance Roundy, and Thomas proved to be money late in the game.
After reliever Aaron Asato got two outs to open the bottom of the seventh, Scott Berke was hit by a pitch and Richie Jimenez walked, bringing Thomas to the plate, and he delivered in a big way. Berke scored three times for Team Black, and Jared Lee earned the win, allowing one run on three hits in three innings of work.
Team Scarlet had battled back from behind itself to take the late lead, scoring three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to move out in front 5-3. Drew Beuerlein knocked in two runs on a pair of hits and Hunter Beaty collected a pair of hits and drove in a run from the leadoff position.
"Both teams played with a lot of energy on Friday," UNLV head coach Buddy Gouldsmith said. "The big hit of the day was obviously the walk-off home run by Cash Thomas. I am a big believer that good things happen when you work hard, and Thomas has been working hard to get his swing squared away and it paid off in grand fashion."
Saturday's game included more last-inning dramatics, as Team Black scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to move ahead 5-4, only to see Team Scarlet plate a run in the bottom half to force a 5-5 tie.
Kris Kaplan hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning for Team Scarlet that gave his squad a 3-1 lead, and then Jarred Frierson added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to move the margin to two runs. Team Scarlet also got an outstanding performance on the mound from Stephen Singer, who gave up just two hits and one run in five innings of work, and Billy Wardell followed with a scoreless sixth inning.
But Team Black got to reliever Sam Friend, scoring four runs on four hits and a walk in the frame to move in front, 5-4. Tyson Mehlhoff and RJ Arnold both drove in runs with singles to make it a one-run game, Nolan Clark tied the game with a run-scoring ground out, and Duncan Satherlie put his team on top with an RBI single.
Team Scarlet battled back, however, with Brandon Bayardi hitting a one-out double and then scoring an out later on Frierson's double that tied the game at five. Travis Feiner then had a chance to give his team the win, but Team Black reliever Thomas Whitsett recovered and got a strike out to end the game.
"It was another competitive game and Stephen Singer pitched outstanding once again," Gouldsmith said. "Once again both teams were battling for the duration of the game. The character of our team is hopefully being revealed, as each squad has come from behind to win games, and that is a good sign."
Tuesday the Rebels will intrasquad again at 3:30 p.m., they will then hold practices Wednesday and Thursday, followed by scrimmages on Friday and Saturday, with all the action happening at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. All practices and scrimmages are open to the public and for a complete schedule, go to www.UNLVRebels.com.
