March 15, 2010

LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball hits the road for just the second time this season, traveling to play Cal State Northridge on Tuesday afternoon in a non-conference midweek game at Matador Field in Northridge, Calif., with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. (PT).

The Rebels will bring a 13-5 record into the game and will start left-hander Glenn DeWeese, and the senior brings in a 1-0 record with a 2.08 ERA in 8.2 innings of work, and this will be the first start of the season for him. UNLV just finished up a 6-2 homestand, taking three-of-four from both Columbia and Northwestern the past two weekends.

The Matadors have an 8-6 overall record this season despite having their four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday by Loyola Marymount, as CSN lost the final of a three-game series by a score of 20-10. Alex Muren is scheduled to take the hill for the Matadors, and he is 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two starts and seven innings of action this season.

UNLV is being led at the plate by R.J. Arnold, as the freshman third baseman is hitting .418 (28-67) with a team-best five home runs as well as 22 RBI and 20 runs scored. Another freshman is right behind him, as Brandon Bayardi has a .413 batting average on a team-high 33 hits in 80 at-bats, pacing the team with 24 RBI while also hitting eight doubles, two triples and a home run. On the mound the Rebels' top reliever is senior closer Matt Hutchison, who is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA and four saves in nine appearances.

CSN's top hitter is C.J. Belanger, who has a .421 batting average to go along with three doubles, a home run and 11 RBI, while he has also scored 11 times. Dominic D'Anna and Ryan Pineda have each hit three home runs to pace the Matadors, and Pineda has also scored 19 runs this season. Cal State Northridge's closer is Jimmy Jolicoeur, who has two saves and a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA in seven appearances this season.

UNLV will return home following Tuesday's game and will open up a three-game series with Long Beach State, with the first game set for 7:00 p.m. at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The series with the Dirtbags will bring to a close a stretch of games in which the Rebels will have played 19 of their first 22 this season at the friendly confines of Wilson Stadium.