May 24, 2003
Albuquerque, N.M. - In a pitchers duel that turned into a slugfest, UNLV defeated San Diego State, 14-9, in the title game at the Mountain West Conference Tournament at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque Saturday afternoon. The Rebels overcame a seven-run sixth inning by the Aztec with 10 runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. UNLV improves to 45-15 on the year while the Aztecs finish their 2003 campaign at 29-32.
With the win, UNLV claimed its first-ever MWC Tournament title and the league's berth into the NCAA Regionals. SDSU was making its fourth consecutive appearance in the conference tourney title game.
For the first five innings, San Diego State's Ronnie Lindsey and UNLV's Giovanni Pupo battled to a 1-1 standoff. SDSU scored in the first on an RBI single by Garrett Cook that scored Landon Burt from second. The Rebels knotted the score with a run in the third on Eddie Gill's run-scoring single that brought home Stephen Ghutzman.
In the sixth, however, the offenses came to life. SDSU sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven times to take an 8-1 lead. The Aztecs got two-run doubles in the inning from Jake McLintock and Reilly Embrey along with RBI singles from Josh Allen and Anthony Gwynn to knock UNLV starter Pupo out of the contest.
However, the game was far from over as UNLV sent 13 men to the plate and answered back with 10 runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good. The Rebels did their scoring on just four hits, four wallks, a hit batter and an SDSU error. The big blow in the inning was a three-run homer by designated hitter Eddie Gill that scored the final three runs.
Mike Moat, who had come on in relief of Lindsey, was saddled with the loss as his record fell to 6-6. UNLV's James Thompson, who had given up the final two runs in the top of the inning, was the beneficiary of the rally as he picked up the win to improve to 3-0 on the year.
Jake McLintock led all SDSU hitters with three hits on the day including a double and a pair of RBIs. Anthony Gwynn, Garrett Cook, Landon Burt and Rielly Embrey had two hits apiece.
Three Aztecs were named to the all-tournament team: Gwynn (11-for-20, 6 runs, 3-2B, 2-3B, 7 RBI), Burt (9-for-20, 9 runs, 2B, 2 RBI, .542 on-base pct.) and Jordan Swaydan (6-for-9, 1 run, 2-2B, 3B, 4 RBI).
UNLV 14, San Diego State 9SDSU 100 007 001 - 9 14 1UNLV 001 00(10) 30x - 14 16 0Lindsey, Moat (6), Carque (6), Miller (8) and AllenPupo, Thompson (6), Clatterbuck (7), Braun (8) and VanKirkW - Thompson (3-0)L - Moat (6-6)Sv - NoneHR - UNLV: Gill (7th-two on)Att. - 385Time - 3:12