May 11, 2010
Final Stats
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UNLV baseball cut an early deficit to just one run but could not come all the way back in losing 11-7 to UC Riverside in a non-conference matchup at the Riverside Sports Complex on Tuesday night.
The Rebels had a chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the eighth, pushing one run across the plate and loading the bases with two outs, bringing Drew Beuerlein to the plate with the Highlanders leading 8-7. Beuerlein, however, was struck out by UCR reliever Matt Andriese to end the threat and then the Highlanders added three runs in the bottom of the frame for the final margin.
UNLV is now 26-21 overall following its final non-conference road game of the regular season, while UCR is now 24-18 on the year. Rebel starter Brady Zuniga took the loss, giving up five runs on six hits over two innings on the mound, falling to 5-1 on the season. Highlander starter Eddie Orozco earned the win, allowing three runs on five hits in six innings of work in moving to 1-2.
The Rebels took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, getting a lead-off walk by Hunter Beaty and then a single by Jarred Frierson, putting runners on the corners with no outs. A wild pitch allowed Beaty to score, and Frierson took advantage of an error on a pick-off attempt to move to third base with still no outs. But Orozco recovered to get the next three Rebel batters out and give up just the one run.
UC Riverside took advantage in the bottom of the first, touching up Zuniga for four runs in the frame, loading the bases at one point and having the rally capped by a two-run single by Bryan Horst. The Highlanders tacked on another run in the second before the two teams traded single runs in the fourth, with the Rebels scoring theirs on a Robbie De La Cruz RBI double that scored Brandon Bayardi.
Entering the seventh inning the Highlanders had an 8-3 lead, but the Rebels responded with a three-run rally to cut it to a two-run game. UNLV loaded the bases with two outs and Bayardi cleared the bags, roping a three-run double center field. Richie Jimenez's RBI single up the middle in the eighth brought the Rebels to within on, but that would be as close as they would get.
UCR put the first two batters on to open its half of the eighth inning and following a ground out, Tony Nix launched a three-run home run to give his team a four-run cushion, which would prove to be enough.
The Rebels finished the night with 10 hits, with Bayardi and De La Cruz each collecting a pair on the night. UC Riverside finished with 14 hits, with Nix driving in five to go with three hits each from Joey Gonzales and Robert Gonzalez.
UNLV now returns home for its last Mountain West Conference series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium, as the Rebels will host Utah in a three-game set that gets underway Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. (PT). Sunday's game will be Senior Day, and eight UNLV seniors will be honored before the game, which is set to start at 1:00 p.m.
