March 14, 2009
Final Stats
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - UNLV baseball could not get going offensively and San Diego State took advantage, handing the Rebels a 6-1 defeat on Saturday afternoon in front of 452 fans at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Rebels scored their lone run on an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning that cut the Aztec lead to just two at 3-1, but SDSU responded by scoring three in the bottom of the frame to secure the victory. UNLV fell to 11-5 overall and 0-2 in Mountain West Conference games, with starter Tanner Peters (2-1) taking the loss. It was his first defeat of the season but the freshman pitched well, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out five over seven innings of work.
San Diego State improved to 10-6 on the year and 2-0 in league play and got a strong performance from its starter for a second straight game with Jon Berger giving up just the lone run in going eight innings. He struck out 10 and did not walk a batter in picking up his first win of the season. Addison Reed closed out the game and picked up the save, striking out the side after coming in with the bases loaded following two singles and a walk.
The game was scoreless through the first four innings before SDSU got on the board with a three-run fifth, with the runs coming on a double by Matt Park and then singles off the bats of Pat Colwell and Brandon Decker. That would be all Peters would allow, as he continued the strong start to his first collegiate season.
UNLV finally got to Berger in the eighth when Jarred Frierson hit a one-out triple and then came home and Anthony Morel's single through the left side, making it a 3-1 ball game. Berger limited the damage by getting a pair of fly-ball outs to end the rally. SDSU opened the bottom of the eighth by loading the bases on two singles sandwiched around a walk, and scored the first run of the rally on a wild pitch from Marc Baca, followed by a run-scoring single and then a throwing error by catcher Drew Beuerlein allowed the third run in.
The Rebels didn't go down without a fight, getting singles by J.J. Sferra and Beuerlein and a walk from Rance Roundy to load the bases off of Aztec reliever James McLaughlin, who was lifted in favor of Reed. SDSU's closer snuffed out the potential Rebel rally by striking out Scott Berke, Jesse Wight and Frierson to end the game.
UNLV and San Diego State wrap up their series tomorrow with the third game of the set slated to start at 1:00 p.m. (PT) and the Rebels will send Corey Hales to the mound opposite of Aztec starter Tyler Lavigne.
