Feb. 19, 2009
UNLV-Maine Release 
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
UNLV opens its 2009 season by hosting Maine in a four-game series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium that gets underway Friday at 7:00 p.m. (PT). The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday with game times set for 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and the series comes to a close on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. The game time on Sunday is a switch from the original schedule, as it has been moved back two hours. The four-game series is part of 14 consecutive at home for the Rebels to open the 2009 campaign. This season marks the sixth for UNLV under head coach Buddy Gouldsmith, who has a career record of 147-156 (.485). He is joined in the dugout by assistants David Martinez and Jeff Prieto while a group of 24 returners is joined by 11 newcomers on this year's squad. Fans can watch almost every home game on a live streaming feed and also follow the game live via Gametracker by logging on to www.unlvrebels.com.
REBELS AT A GLANCE
UNLV returns 22 letterwinners from last year's squad and they will be joined by 11 newcomers as the Rebels begin their sixth year under head coach Buddy Gouldsmith ... Senior outfielder Jesse Wight was named to the preseason All-Mountain West Conference team ... UNLV was picked to finish sixth in the MWC preseason poll .... Gouldsmith has a career record of 147-156 (.485) ... The Rebels open the season by playing their first 14 games at Earl E. Wilson Stadium, including four doubleheaders ... The Rebels finished 2008 with a record of 22-37 overall, 9-15 in the MWC (6th).
BLACK BEARS AT A GLANCE
Maine brings back 18 letterwinners and seven starters from a team that went 20-28-1 and 8-15 in the American East Conference in 2008 ... The Black Bears were picked to finish third in the AEC ... Among the returners is catcher Myckie Lugbauer, a preseason All-American selection who hit .343 with 19 doubles and 43 RBI in 2008 ... Maine is coached by Steve Trimper, who is 77-81-1 in three seasons at UM and 249-255-4 overall in 10 seasons as a head coach ... The Black Bears open their season by playing their first 18 games on the road.
THE SERIES
UNLV leads the short series between the two schools, with the Rebels sweeping three-games from the Black Bears last year in Las Vegas at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in what was the first meeting all-time between the two teams. The Rebels won by scores of 11-8, 21-5 and 3-2 to close out the three-game set and the sweep marked the only time all year that UNLV would sweep a three-game series from an opponent. Former UNLV slugger Xavier Scruggs had a big series against the Black Bears, going 8-for-12 at the plate, including a 5-for-5 effort in game three that featured three home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored. Scruggs would be named the Mountain West Conference's Player of the Week following that strong performance.
