April 10, 2010
Final Stats
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - UNLV baseball got another solid pitching performance and used timely hitting in a 4-2 win over Utah in a Mountain West Conference game Saturday afternoon at Spring Mobile Stadium.
Rebel starter Stephen Singer gave up two runs on nine hits before turning the game over to the bullpen, and Max Javate and Brady Zuniga combined to work a scoreless rest of the game. UNLV improved to 19-13 overall and 4-4 in league play, with Javate moving to 2-0 and Zuniga picking up the first save of his career. Utah fell to 16-12 overall and 5-3 in the MWC, with Rick Anton (5-2) taking the loss after he gave up all four runs on six hits in eight innings on the mound.
With the score tied at two in the top of the seventh, UNLV went ahead on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Nolan Clark that scored Travis Fiener and allowed R.J. Arnold to advance to third on the play. He then crossed the plate on a bunt hit by Richie Jimenez that made the score 4-2.
That would be more than enough for Javate and Zuniga, who would give up just two hits the rest of the way.
Timely hitting was the theme for UNLV, which collected just six hits on the afternoon but was able to put up four runs compared to just two runs on 11 hits by Utah.
UNLV took the lead in the top of the fourth when Brandon Bayardi walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a ground out before coming home to score on a wild pitch. In the sixth inning the Rebels manufactured a run when Jarred Frierson singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a ground out and then scored when Bayardi was picked off of first, making it a 2-0 lead.
Utah scored its two runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth on a double, single and then a triple, which ended Singer's day. Javate came in and got out of the inning and that was the last serious Ute threat of the afternoon.
UNLV and Utah wrap up their series Sunday, with the two teams meeting against at Spring Mobile Stadium and the first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. Fans can follow along with a live audio feed or on Gametracker by going to www.UNLVRebels.com.
