March 11, 2014
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV baseball (11-4, 5-1 Mountain West) improved to a school record 9-0 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium this season with a 4-3 win over West Virginia on Tuesday.
The Rebels jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after they scored when Morgan Stotts singled to right field, driving in two runs.
The Mountaineers scored one in the top of the third inning and took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning.
UNLV tied the game in the in the bottom half of the fifth after Stotts singled to center field and T.J. White made an incredible slide at home to score.
Justin Jones smashed the ball into right center field in the bottom of the eighth inning, but West Virginia's Bobby Boyd made a fantastic diving catch to only allow one run to score, making it a sacrifice fly for Jones and giving the Rebels a 4-3 lead.
The Rebels took their slim lead into the ninth inning when Cody Roper (1-0) struck out the first two batters he saw. After Boyd singled to center, Brayden Torres (3) earned the save after inducing a ground out to second base to record the final out on one pitch. Roper (1-0) earned the win after allowing two hits and recording three strikeouts in 2.2 innings of relief pitching.
UNLV starter Kenny Oakley (0-1) did not factor into the decision but he did pitch well in the game. He allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits and struck out six while walking one in 6.0 innings of work.
From the plate, Stotts led the team by finishing 3-for-4 with three RBI. Jones, White and Patrick Armstrong were the only other Rebels to record a hit in the game.
UNLV will head back on the road and resume Mountain West play at San Jose State. The Rebels and Spartans will play a three-game set beginning on Friday at 6:00 p.m. PT. Fans can watch the action live on UNLVRebels.com thanks to the Mountain West Network.
