May 19, 2009

Final Stats

FORT WORTH, Texas - Fifth-seeded UNLV lost to fourth-seeded San Diego State, 12-1, during first round action from the 2009 Conoco Mountain West Baseball Championship on Wednesday at Lupton Stadium.

The Rebels were held in check on offense by Aztec starter Tyler Lavigne (7-1), who allowed just one run on three hits, and SDSU used a big eighth inning to put the game out of reach and move on in the tournament. With the loss UNLV dropped to 26-31 overall on the year, and it marked just the second time in nine matchups in the league tournament that the Rebels lost to the Aztecs.

UNLV starter Corey Hales (3-3) took the loss, as he gave up two runs on two hits but walked seven batters in his 2.2 innings of work before turning things over to the bullpen. That pair of runs would turn out to be more than enough for Lavigne and the Aztecs, who did not allow a hit after the fifth inning and they will now play second-seeded New Mexico tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. (PT).

"Our hitters had a hard time picking up the ball early with the shadows, and Tyler pitched well the entire game," UNLV head coach Buddy Gouldsmith said. "They were able to string some things together at the plate tonight and we weren't."

Hales was in trouble early, walking four batters which lead to a run despite the Aztecs not collecting a hit, but UNLV's starter escaped further damage by striking out Jomel Torres to end the inning. Hales then gave up a hit and walk sandwiched around a fielder's choice but got a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the second inning unscathed.

SDSU put runners on the corners with no outs in the third, but Erik Castro was picked off first, Corey Vaughn grounded out to drive in a run but then Hales walked Mitch Blackburn, ending the night for Hales. Matt Hutchison came in out of the bullpen and gave up a single to Torres to put runners on first and third, but the Rebel reliever got a fly out to right to end the inning.

Rance Roundy doubled to left with one out in the top of the fourth for UNLV's first hit of the game and then Scott Berke followed with a sharp single that moved Roundy to third, bringing Anthony Morel to the plate. Morel lofted a sacrifice fly to center to score Roundy, and then Bryan Resick drew a two-out walk to put two on for catcher Chad Claus, who Lavigne got to pop out to second, ending the Rebel rally.

SDSU extended its lead over the next two frames, getting a pair of runs in the fifth and then another in the sixth after a pair of singles and a wild pitch, giving the Aztecs a 5-1 lead after six innings. San Diego State then put the game away with a seven-run eighth inning that came off of four Rebel pitcher for the game's final score, with those runs coming on six hits and a walk.

UNLV will now play third-seeded BYU tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. in an elimination game, as the Cougars lost to sixth-seeded Utah in the first game of the day, 2-1 in 10 innings. Wednesday's game between the Rebels and Cougars will be televised on the Mtn. and the game is also slated to be carried on live on KSHP 1400 AM radio. The final game tomorrow will feature top-seeded TCU playing Utah at 5:00 p.m.