Feb. 18, 2010
UNLV-Sacramento State Game Notes
LEADING OFF
UNLV (0-0, 0-0 Mountain West Conference) opens its 2010 season with a three-game series against Sacramento State (0-0, 0-0 Western Athletic Conference) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium, with the first game set for 7:00 p.m. (PT) in the first-ever matchup between the two schools. The Rebels and Hornets will play again on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and then the two teams will wrap up the season-opening series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. UNLV is entering its seventh season under head coach Buddy Gouldsmith, who has a career record of 173-188 (.480), and his 173 victories are the second most in school history. The meeting with the Hornets pits Gouldsmith against his alma mater, as he graduated from Sacramento State in 1992. The weekend series is the first of eight straight games at Wilson Stadium for the Rebels to open up the 2010 campaign, and UNLV will play 19 of its first 22 at home.
REBELS AT A GLANCE
UNLV opens the 2010 season with three familiar faces slated to make starts on the mound, while the defense behind that trio will be a mix of seasoned veterans and newcomers with potential ... In all, the Rebels return 14 letterwinners from the 2009 squad that went 26-32 and 9-15 in the Mountain West Conference ... That group will be joined by 21 newcomers, several of which could be in the starting lineup Friday against Sacramento State ... Friday-night starter is sophomore right-hander Tanner Peters, who is looking to build off a solid freshman season in which he went 5-7 with a 4.90 ERA in 13 starts, striking out 59 batters while walking just 19 ... Heading the returners in the field is senior outfielder Rance Roundy, who was named to the 2010 preseason All-MWC team ... Roundy hit .364 last year with three home runs and 32 RBI ... UNLV was picked to finish sixth in the preseason MWC poll, which was voted on by the league's seven head coaches and a select media panel ... The coaching staff from last season is back for 2010 in assistant coaches David Martinez and Jeff Prieto and volunteer assistant Bob Fenn returns as well.
HORNETS AT A GLANCE
Sacramento State returns 13 letterwinners and seven total starters from a squad that went 27-27 overall and 8-14 in the WAC ... This will be the final season at the helm for Hornet head coach John Smith, who announced he is retiring at the end of the this season, which will be his 32nd at the program ... He has an overall record of 861-880 (.495) ... Friday starter Jesse Darrah gets the opening-night start, and he posted a 9-2 record with a 5.64 ERA to earn Freshman All-America honors in 2009 ... The top returning hitter is senior Josh Powers, who hit .358 with 26 doubles and 44 RBI.
UPCOMING REBEL GAME PROMOTIONS
Friday (2/19) - "Alumni Weekend" All Rebel Baseball Alumni receive 2 complimentary tickets.Saturday (2/20) - "Alumni Weekend" All Rebel Baseball Alumni receive 2 complimentary tickets.Sunday (2/21) - "Alumni Weekend" All Rebel Baseball Alumni receive 2 complimentary tickets.
