Feb. 18, 2011
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - A new era of UNLV baseball got underway at Wilson Stadium tonight as the Rebels opened the 2011 campaign with a 12-4 win over the visiting University of Maine Black Bears.
First-year head coach Tim Chambers made his much anticipated debut in front of the largest opening night crowd in recent years. Danny Higa and Rance Roundy produced more than enough offense on the night, combining to go 6-for-8 from the plate with seven RBI while Tanner Peters picked up the win following a strong first start.
"I thought offensively we showed pretty good for the first night out," said Chambers. "Tanner pitched really well tonight which is what we needed from him."
Peters (1-0) threw five complete innings on the night, scattering three hits while striking out six. Brady Zuniga chipped in with 2.2 innings and Thomas Whitsett threw the final inning and a third, holding off a late Black Bear surge.
The UNLV (1-0) offense jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead two innings in. Hunter Beaty singled up the middle to lead off the Rebel first and stole second before scoring on a Trent Cook double to right. Roundy later singled to right, scoring Trevor Cook to make it 2-0.
Following a three-up, three-down Maine (0-1) second, Cash Thomas led the Rebel half off with a single through the left side. Thomas would go on to score on Higa's second hit of the night, a double to left center while Kirk's RBI single down the left field line two batters later made it 4-0.
Maine cut the lead to 4-1 in the third when an errant throw to third by Ryan Scott allowed Colin Gay to reach home.
The Rebels answered however, scoring eight runs over a three-inning span to put the game out of reach at 12-1. Roundy smashed an 0-1 offering from Kevin Scanlan over the wall in left in the fifth, marking the second straight year he has homered in the season opener.
A two-run sixth led by Higa's second double of the night was followed by a four-run seventh in which UNLV scored three runs with two outs.
Maine awoke in the eighth, scoring three runs on five hits, but it was not enough as Whitsett was able to escape the ninth unscathed.
The series will continue tomorrow with a doubleheader schedule to start at 2:05 p.m. at Wilson Stadium. Jesse Garcia is slated to start for UNLV while Jonathan Balentina will take the hill for Maine.
