May 17, 2010
LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball will wrap up its home schedule on Tuesday, hosting Cal State Northridge in a non-conference game, with the first pitch set for 3:00 p.m. (PT) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. It will be the final non-conference game of the regular season for the Rebels, who will then head to San Diego State to conclude the Mountain West Conference portion of the regular season.
Tuesday's game is the final of a home-and-home series between the Rebels and the Matadors this season, with Cal State Northridge winning the first meeting, 13-7, at Matador Field back on March 16. Both teams will be looking to end losing skids, as the Rebels have dropped their last two games while the Matadors have lost four in a row.
The Rebels will bring a 27-23 overall record into the game after they lost two-of-three to Utah this past weekend at Wilson Stadium. Taking the mound for the Rebels will be right-hander Stephen Singer, who is 1-6 in 11 starts, with 24 strikeouts in 46.2 innings of work. The Matadors are 24-23 overall and were swept at UC Riverside over the weekend.
UNLV is being led at the plate by junior catcher Drew Beuerlein, who is hitting .355 (70-197) with team highs of 10 home runs and 55 RBI. Rebel freshman Brandon Bayardi is hitting .360 (76-211) and has a team-best 20 doubles on the year to go along with seven home runs and 50 RBI. Senior designated hitter Kyle Kretchmer is hitting .412 (42-102) with eight home runs and 50 RBI while Jarred Frierson has hit a team-high six triples.
Northridge is being led by all-around talent Ryan Pineda, who is leading the team with 13 home runs and 55 RB while hitting .330, and he has also stolen a team-high 24 bases in 25 attempts. C.J. Belanger brings in an average of .350 (62-177) to go along with three home runs and 32 RBI, while Dominic D'Anna is hitting .345 and has hit a team-high 13 doubles. Matador closer is Jimmy Jolicoeur is 4-1 with a 3.20 ERA and three saves in 23 appearances, including a pair of starts.
The Rebels will resume conference action this weekend and close out their regular-season schedule, traveling to play San Diego State in a three-game series that gets underway Thursday night at 6:00 p.m.
