March 24, 2009

Final Stats

STILLWATER, Okla. - UNLV scored the first run of the game but No. 17 Oklahoma State scored eight of the nine en route to an 8-2 victory over the Rebels on Tuesday night at Reynolds Stadium in the opener of a two-game series.

Ryan Thornton singled up the middle to open the game, stole second and then moved up to third on a single before coming home on a sacrifice fly by Scott Berke, staking the Rebels to an early 1-0 lead. UNLV would only get one more run the rest of the evening in falling to 13-9 overall on the year.

Oklahoma State tied the game with a run in the bottom of the third before taking the lead with a trio of runs in the fourth inning, which ended Rebel starter Andrew Beresford (1-1) night, as he allowed the runs on six hits. Mark Ginther had a two-run single in the fourth inning for the Cowboys, who improved to 16-7 overall on the year, and Thomas Keeling worked the final seven innings of the game to get the win.

OSU added to its lead in the fifth, scoring four times with Doug Kroll capping the rally with a two-run single of his own that made the score 8-2. That game after the Rebels had cut the margin to two in the top half of the inning, when J.J. Sferra doubled to left field to drive in Claus.

Sferra finished the night with three hits in four trips to the plate, as the Rebels out-hit the Cowboys by a 10-8 count, but UNLV pitching walked six batters compared to none by OSU.

UNLV and Oklahoma State wrap up their midweek series tomorrow with the second game of the set scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. (PT).