Feb. 26, 2011

Box Score

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball team suffered its first loss of the season, 9-7, in game one, but rebounded to win game two, 7-2, splitting today's doubleheader against Central Michigan University here at Wilson Stadium.

The Rebels (6-1) were led by Trevor Kirk and Danny Higa in game one as Kirk went 3-for-4 and scored twice while Higa tallied a team-high two RBI. UNLV jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the first inning, capitalizing on two Chippewa errors in the inning.

CMU (3-4) battled back to tie the game in the fifth at 4-4 before taking its first lead in the seventh at 5-4. The Rebels answered in the bottom half of the inning when Ryan Scott's groundout to second allowed Travis Feiner to score from third.

After the Chippewas regained the lead in the top of the eighth on a Matt Stevens groundout, Higa smacked a triple to right field, scoring both Cash Thomas and Brandon Bayardi to go ahead 7-6.

Brady Zuniga was able to get the first out in the ninth but then issued back-to-back walks followed by an RBI double from William Arnold that knotted the game at 7-7. Jordan Dean rounded out the scoring one batter later with a single up the middle, driving in two more runs.

The Rebels had one last opportunity in the bottom of the ninth with runners on first and second and the winning run in pinch-hitter Rance Roundy at the plate. However, CMU's Dietrich Enns was able strike out UNLV's most dangerous hitter to secure the win.

UNLV bounced back in game two, setting the tone from the first inning on. Trent Cook and Richie Jimenez each hit solo homers in the first and a second innings respectively while Marvin Campbell's RBI single in the third pushed the lead to 3-1.

The Chippewas cut the lead to 3-2 in the fourth, but the Rebels answered by scoring twice in both the fifth and sixth innings to put the game out of reach.

Joe Robinson (1-0) picked up his first win of the season after throwing six innings, scattering eight hits and giving up two runs while striking out four. Zach Hartman came on in the seventh and earned the first Rebel save of the season after allowing just one hit in three innings of work, striking out two along the way.

The Rebels and Chippewas will conclude their weekend series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. at Wilson Stadium.