March 2, 2010
Final Stats
TUCSON, Ariz. - Playing on the road for the first time this season, UNLV baseball scored twice in the top of the eighth inning to break a tie and then worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth to beat Arizona, 12-10, at Frank Sancet Field on Tuesday night.
Rebel senior Jarred Frierson hit an RBI single in the top of the eighth that moved his team in front, 11-10, and after adding an insurance run on an RBI fielder's choice, the bullpen made the lead hold up. Glenn DeWeese (1-0) earned the win in relief while closer Matt Hutchison picked up his third save despite walking the bases loaded in the ninth, striking out Steve Selsky on a full count to end the game.
UNLV improved to 7-2 overall on the year while Arizona dropped to 3-3, with reliever Tyler Hale (0-1) taking the loss.
Both teams scored early and often at the start of the game, as the score was tied at seven after just two innings of play. The Rebels scored five first-inning runs, four coming on a grand slam by senior Kyle Kretchmer, who took a full-count offering and deposited over the center-field fence. The Rebels added two more runs in the top of the second on a home run by Brandon Bayardi, which made the score 7-4.
The Wildcats tied the game in their half of the second, with three different players collecting RBI hits, eventually chasing UNLV starter Chad Nading. That is where the game stood until the fifth, when UNLV went back in front by scoring three runs on a Richie Jimenez run-scoring single, a balk and then a sacrifice fly.
Arizona scored a run in the bottom of the fifth and then two more in the bottom of the seventh, setting up the final two innings in which the Rebels got the clutch hitting and pitching they needed to extend their winning streak.
Bayardi went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs to pace the Rebels at the plate, and they finished with 11 hits on the evening as a team and committed three errors. Arizona collected 13 hits overall and had two errors, and Jett Bandy finished the game with three hits and a walk.
UNLV and Arizona wrap up their two-game set tomorrow, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m. (PT), and right-hander Stephen Singer is slated to start Wednesday's game for the Rebels.
