RIVERSIDE, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball team fell behind early to the UC Riverside Highlanders only to fight back and force extra innings Tuesday at the Riverside Sports Complex. The host Highlanders (3-5); however, managed to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th to defeat the Rebels (1-7) by a 3-2 final score.
UCR's Travis Bohall and Nathan Webb strung together back-to-back, one-out hits off UNLV's Larry Quaney (0-1) to close out the contest. Bohall reached base off a single and came around to score when Webb laced a 1-1 offering down the left-field line for a double.
Through the first four innings of the game, UNLV was limited to only one hit and had left one runner on base before turning things around in the fifth.
Eric Bigani led off the frame with a double and wound up moving around the bases with help from a bunt single by
Austin Pfeifer and a sacrifice fly from
Austin Kryszczuk.
UNLV drew even in the eighth off a two-out RBI single by
James Gamble, which scored
Trevor Rosenberg from second base. Rosenberg had reached base off a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position after stealing second base.
The Scarlet & Gray were hampered defensively throughout the contest, with the squad committing a total of six errors in the 11-inning affair. The Highlanders' first two runs were a result of four of those miscues, with an unearned tally crossing the plate in both the first and second innings.
TURNING POINT: UNLV was unable to capitalize on UCR's first error of the game in the final inning of play, getting two runners on base off a throwing error by Webb, the Highlander's third baseman, and a two-out intentional walk issued to
Jack-Thomas Wold. With runners on first and second, Andre Granillo (1-1) was able to induce a grounder to second to end the threat, while Webb was able to make up for his mistake three batters into UCR's final at-bat.
QUOTABLE: "We're going to keep fighting and not giving in," said head coach
Stan Stolte. "Our pitchers were outstanding tonight, but UCR played much better defensively, which was the difference in the game."
NOTES:
-Tuesday's tilt against UCR is the fifth that UNLV has played this season that was decided after the seventh inning, and first in extras. The Rebels sit 1-4 in this span of five such games.
-UNLV used a total of nine pitchers in the game, with
Noah Mattera getting the start and throwing 3.0 innings with one strikeout against two unearned runs off one hit and two walks.
-Hayden King threw 2.0 scoreless innings (ninth and 10th), striking out two against one hit and one walk.
-UCR's Granillo evened his record at 1-1, picking up the win in 3.0 innings of relief, striking out three and allowing only one hit and one walk.
-UCR's Trevor Bateson got the start and went 5.0 innings, striking out two, but giving up one run off four hits and two walks.
UP NEXT: UNLV returns to Las Vegas and Earl E. Wilson Stadium this weekend for a three-game, nonconference series against the Creighton Bluejays. Game one is scheduled for Friday evening at 6:05 pm, while Saturday (2:05 pm) and Sunday (1:05 pm) are both day games.
