Feb. 19, 2010
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball lost to Sacramento State, 10-8, in an 11-inning game that took nearly four hours on a chilly Friday night at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in front of 559 fans in the season opener for both squads.
The Rebels used a dramatic two-run home run by Travis Feiner in the bottom of the 10th to tie the game at eight and force another inning, but the Hornets plated two runs in the top of 11th and Andrew Galvan retired the side in order to earn the save. Sacramento State reliever Logan Todd, who gave up the home run to Feiner, was credited with the win, while Rebel reliever Jared Lee gave up the two Hornet runs and was charged with the loss.
Lee hit the first batter he faced to open the 11th and after getting a fly out he allowed a single that put runners on first and second. He got a ground ball but the Rebels could only get one out, and after hitting another batter to load the bases, Lee gave up a single through the middle by pinch-hitter Trevor Paine that scored two.
UNLV finished the game with 10 hits, which included two doubles and two home runs, and the Rebels committed just one error. Sacramento State collected 14 hits and overcame four errors on the evening.
Sacramento State scored first, pushing a run across the board in the top of the second before the Rebels struck for three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a two-run lead. Brandon Bayardi started the rally with a one-out double and he came around to score on a double by Richie Jimenez to center. Robbie De La Cruz followed with an infield single that allowed Jimenez to score on the throw, and then the Rebels loaded the bases on a single and a walk. De La Cruz would then score on a wild pitch, but Jarred Frierson flied out to right field to end the inning.
The Hornets quickly answered in the top of the third, scoring four runs in the top half to regain the lead, 5-3, with the big blast a three-run home run off the bat of Trevor Bloom that came on a full-count, two-out pitch.
Each team drilled solo home runs in the fifth, with Josh Powers connecting for Sacramento State in the top half and Rance Roundy for the Rebels in the bottom of the frame. The exchange of home runs made the score 6-4 heading into the final innings.
Trailing by two runs after the seventh-inning stretch, UNLV used a hit batter, single and a walk to load the bases with no outs, and used a Hornet error to tie the game at six. Kris Kaplan hit a chopper to third base and after getting an out at second, Sac State second baseman Blake Miller could not turn the double play, throwing wildly to second and allowing a second run to score.
The Rebels had a great chance to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, loading the bases with one out, but Todd got a double play to get out of the inning with the scored tied. Todd worked three innings of relief, striking out three batters and allowing just two hits.
Rebel starter Tanner Peters lasted five innings with mixed results, as tied a career high by striking out nine batters but he also gave up the two home runs and seven hits total on the evening. UNLV's bullpen then kept the game close, with three relievers combining to throw four innings of scoreless innings of relief that took the game to the extras. Feiner finished the game going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Richie Jimenez had two hits as well.
Bloom drove in five runs and Powers scored three times to pace the Hornet offense, and starter Jesse Darrah allowed four runs and struck out five in five innings of work.
UNLV and Sacramento State continue their series Saturday afternoon, with the first pitch at Wilson Stadium scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (PT).
