April 3, 2009
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball brought the game-tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Scott Berke flew out to end the game as the Rebels lost to Utah, 8-5, on a blustery Friday night at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
The wind was howling in from left field the entire game, with gusts of up to 30 m.p.h., on a chilly evening that made even routine balls tough plays in the first of a three-game set between the two teams. The loss was the ninth in a row for the Rebels, dropping them to 13-16 on the year and 2-5 in the Mountain West Conference, while Utah moved to 13-12 and 3-4 in league games.
Rebel center fielder J.J. Sferra extended his hitting streak to 20 games, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored to pace the offense, but the rest of the UNLV lineup had just six hits on the game. UNLV starter Jeff Urlaub (3-4) took the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work, striking out five and walking just one.
Utah broke open a scoreless game in the fourth, when after two singles C.J. Cron hit a towering fly ball that got caught in the win and sailed over the right-field fence, giving the Utes a 3-0 lead. The margin ballooned to 7-0 in the sixth, as Utah scored four more runs in the frame, the big hit a two-run single by Kevin Hussey.
UNLV got on the board in the bottom of the seventh, as Berke singled to open the frame and Anthony Morel walked, putting two runners on with no outs for Chad Claus, who hit one through the left side to load the bases. Utah went to the bullpen, bringing in Robert Chimpky to face Sferra, who singled to right, bringing two runs home and putting runners on the corners. Bryan Resnick then hit a fielder's choice to score Claus as Sferra was out at second base, and the Rebels had trimmed the lead to four at 7-3 with one out.
UNLV kept the pressure on in the inning as Ryan Thornton drew a walk to put two runners on board again, but Chimpky responded by striking out Rance Roundy looking to get the second out. Utah made another change on the mound, bringing lefty Stephen Streich to face Rebel left-hander Jesse Wight, and the pitcher got the better end of the matchup, getting a swinging strikeout to end the inning.
The Utes added a run in the top of the ninth inning to cap the scoring, getting it without a hit, taking advantage of a walk, a hit batter and then an error in right field by Roundy to make it an 8-3 game.
UNLV threatened in the bottom of the ninth, putting two runners on with no outs, and the Utes brought in Greg Krause to face Thornton to the plate, who struck out looking for the first out. Roundy hit into a fielder's choice for the second out but Wight extended the inning by hitting a rocket back up the middle that hit Krause and deflected for a run-scoring single that cut the lead in half at 8-4. Jarred Frierson then reached on a single to right field that scored the second run of the rally, bringing Berke to the plate as the potential game-tying run, but he flew out to right to end the game.
UNLV and Utah continue their series with the second game of the set slated for 2:00 p.m. (PT) from Earl E. Wilson Stadium, and Tanner Peters will take the mound for the Rebels against Andrew Wilding of the Utes. It is cheap seats day at the ball park, and all tickets are just $1.
