April 16, 2010
Final Stats
NEW ORLEANS - UNLV baseball jumped out to an early lead and reliever Brady Zuniga made it hold up as the Rebels beat Tulane 4-3 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game non-conference series at Turchin Stadium.
Zuniga gave up just one run on two hits in 3.1 innings of relief to earn his second save of the season, and R.J. Arnold drove in the game-winning runs for the Rebels, who improved to 21-13 overall with the win. UNLV starter Tanner Peters (4-2) picked up the win, allowing two runs on seven hits before turning the game over to Zuniga with two outs in the sixth inning.
Tulane dropped to 21-14 overall, with Conrad Flynn (3-3) taking the loss.
The Rebels have now won five straight on the road, their longest such streak since also winning five in a row at the end of the 2006 season.
UNLV got on the board first when Hunter Beaty singled with two outs in the top of the third and he eventually came around to score on Jarred Frierson's triple to right-center field. The lead grew to 2-0 the next inning when Brandon Bayardi led off the frame with a solo home run to left center, the third round tripper of the year for the freshman.
The Rebels pushed two more runs across the plate in the top of the sixth inning, and the insurance would be much needed over the last part of the game. Drew Beuerlein and Bayardi started the frame with back-to-back singles, and after the duo moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt, Arnold drove them in with a single of his own for a 4-0 lead.
That would be the last of the offense for the Rebels, but it would be all they would need in recording the non-conference road win.
Tulane scored twice in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run off the bat of Jeremy Schaffer, and then added another run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by Gunner Wright. That made it a one-run game, but Zuniga set down the Green Wave in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the win.
UNLV finished the game with eight hits and one error, while Tulane had nine hits and did not commit an error.
UNLV and Tulane continue their series Saturday, with the first pitch set for 12:00 p.m. (PT).
