March 13, 2010
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - Wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour caused havoc all day but UNLV baseball navigated through the tough conditions to beat Northwestern, 12-8, in a high-scoring game that saw the teams combine for 12 extra-base hits at Earl E. Wilson Stadium on Saturday.
The wind was howling in from left and moving any fly ball across the field, turning routine pop outs into doubles, as both teams battled the conditions in the final of a four-game series. With the victory the Rebels improved to 13-5 on the year, with reliever Jared Lee (3-2) picked up the win, working four innings and allowing 1 run on six hits. Northwestern fell to 4-10 overall, with starter Zach Morton taking the loss, as he gave up 11 runs on 14 hits in five innings on the mound.
UNLV jumped out ahead in the first three innings, scoring two in the first, four in the second and three in the third for a 9-4 lead, and from there the two teams essentially traded runs the rest of the game. The victory wrapped up an eight-game homestand for the Rebels in which they went 6-2 on, taking three of four games from Northwestern and Columbia during that span.
Rebel center fielder Jarred Frierson went 4-for-5 at the plate to key a 17-hit attack, and Cash Thomas, Brandon Bayardi and R.J. Arnold each had a trio of hits as well on the day. Arnold drove in three runs, two of which came on his team-leading fifth home run, while Thomas scored three times.
Chad Noble had a big day at the plate for the Wildcats, hitting two triples, a double and scoring three times, pacing an offense that produced 16 team hits on the afternoon.
UNLV now hits the road for just the third time this season, heading to Northridge, Calif., to play Cal State Northridge on Tuesday afternoon in a game that starts at 2:00 p.m. (PT) at Matador Field.
