April 5, 2010
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior Jarred Frierson went 3-for-3 and drove in three runs to pace the Rebels to a 10-8 victory over Texas Tech in a non-conference baseball game at Earl E. Wilson on a chilly and windy Monday night.
The Rebels used four eighth-inning insurance runs and then held on for a two-run victory in improving to 17-12 overall, with reliever Max Javate coming out of the bullpen to earn his first collegiate win. TTU dropped to 14-17 overall, with starter Brandon Petite (2-2) taking the loss, giving up three runs on four hits in 3.1 innings on the mound.
UNLV used a three-run fourth inning to move in front 3-1, using a trio of hits in the inning to take its first lead of the night. With the bases loaded and one out, Frierson singled through the left side, driving in two and giving the Rebels a one-run advantage. Drew Beuerlein then followed with a single that pushed another run across the plate.
The margin grew to five runs in the bottom of the sixth, as the Rebels plated another trio of runs to extend their lead to 6-1, with all three coming on run-scoring singles. Frierson knocked in the first run, and then Travis Feiner and R.J. Arnold added RBI base hits as well.
It looked as though the Rebels would then cruise to the win, with Max Javate turning in a strong performance out of the bullpen, keeping the Red Raiders off of the scoreboard until the top of the seventh inning. TTU loaded the bases with two outs and Brady Zuniga came on in relief and appeared to get out of the inning with a ground ball, but Richie Jimenez bobbled the ball, opening the door for a big inning.
The Red Raiders would go on to score four runs after the error, pulling to within one run at 6-5, capitalizing on the costly UNLV error. The big blow in the inning was a two-run double to left center off the bat of Scott LeJeune that ended the rally.
UNLV would answer, however, getting those four runs back in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with no outs to open up the frame. Feiner drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly and then Beuerlein trotted across home plate via a wild pitch, making it an 8-5 ball game. The final two runs came on a two-run single up the middle by Jimenez to help atone for his error, giving his team a five-run lead.
Those insurance runs would prove to be huge, as TTU scored three times in the top of the ninth and had a runner on first and the tying run at the plate, but Glenn DeWeese got a double-play ground ball to end the game. DeWeese picked up the final two outs of the game for his first save of the season.
The Rebels finished the game with 12 hits but committed two errors and saw their pitching staff issue 13 walks, but the defense helped out by turning three double plays in the game. Texas Tech had just five hits on the evening, but took advantage of the free passes to score its runs.
UNLV and TTU close out their quick two-game series on Tuesday, with the first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. (PT) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
