March 13, 2009
Final Stats
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - UNLV baseball put the game-tying run in scoring position in the top of the ninth but could not knot the score, losing to San Diego State 4-3 in the Mountain West Conference opener for both teams Friday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Trailing by two runs heading into the final frame, Jesse Wight drew a one-out walk, moved to second on passed ball and then up to third on a ground out, bringing Anthony Morel to the plate. SDSU closer Addison Reed gave up a single to Morel that brought the Rebels to within one, 4-3, and then a wild pitch and a bit batter put two men on for Ryan Thornton. Reed got out of the jam when Thornton lined out to short, ending the game.
The loss snapped UNLV's eight game winning streak, dropping the club to 11-4 on the year and 0-1 in the MWC while SDSU moved to 9-6 overall and 1-0 in league games. SDSU starter Stephen Strasburg improved to 4-0 on the year, striking out 14 hitters but the Rebels got to the right hander for a pair of runs on six hits in his seven innings of work. Jeff Urlaub (2-1) took the loss for the Rebels, giving up four runs in eight hits in five innings on the mound, striking out three and walking two.
SDSU jumped out early, scoring three runs in the first and then another in the second for a 4-0 lead, staking Strasburg to an early advantage. Brandon Meredith drove in the first run of the game with a single in the first and then T.J. Thomas drove in two more in the opening frame with a single of his own. Erik Castro hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the second, but that would be the final run of the game for the Aztecs.
Urlaub settled in after the round tripper, giving up just three more hits the rest of the way, and Andrew Beresford came out of the bullpen and tossed three scoreless innings of relief to keep the Rebels in the game.
UNLV's first run came in the third when Thornton drew a one-out walk, stole second and moved up to third on a single before eventually coming home on a balk by Strasburg, making it a 4-1 game. J.J. Sferra's hustle in the sixth produced another run, as he struck out but reached on a wild pitch before scoring on Drew Beuerlein's double to pull the Rebels to within two at 4-2.
SDSU reliever Chase Thomas worked a scoreless eighth, though, and Reed got out of trouble in the ninth after giving up a run to pick up his fifth save of the year.
UNLV and San Diego State continue their series tomorrow with the second game of the set scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. (PT) with the Rebels sending Tanner Peters (2-0) to the mound against Jon Berger (0-2).
