May. 1, 2005
SAN DIEGO - UNLV scored four times in the top of the 14th inning to defeat San Diego State, 7-3, Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Despite getting 21 hits on the day, the Aztecs were unable to cash in on several scoring opportunities as they dropped the rubber game of the weekend series to the Rebels. Among SDSU's 21 hits were six by shortstop James Guerrero to tie the Aztec single-game record.
With the win, UNLV (22-24; 16-5 MWC) moved back into a tie for first place in the Mountain West Conference with Brigham Young. SDSU saw its record fall to 18-27 overall and 12-9 in conference play as it remained in third place in the MWC, three games ahead of both Utah and New Mexico with nine games left.
From the outset, the game was a pitching duel between UNLV starter Derek Rodriguez and SDSU's Bruce Billings, although both were long gone before the outcome was decided. Rodriguez went 7.1 innings, allowing three runs with a walk and five strikeouts while Billings tossed 7.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out three.
SDSU got on the board first with a single run in the third as James Guerrero's double scored Grant Desme, who had singled with one out and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.
The teams then traded home runs in the sixth as Rebel shortstop Zeke Parraz hit one to left and Aztec center fielder Quintin Berry smacked one to right. It was Berry's first homer as an Aztec and the second of his five hits in the contest.
Trailing by a run, UNLV took a 3-2 lead in the eighth as Ryan Bird's two out double drove home both Chris Bonnell and Justin Tellam, who had singled and walk ahead of him respectively.
San Diego State responded in the bottom of the same inning as Berry led off with a triple and scored on an RBI single by Guerrero.
The Aztecs had chances to win the game in each of the first three extra frames. In the 10th, they put runners on first and third with one out before UNLV reliever Kyle Tabeek got a groundout double play to end the threat. In the 11th, with Sam Pepper at second, Berry singled to left only to see Pepper thrown out at home. In the 12th, Guerrero led off with a single but ended the inning stranded at third base,
UNLV's winning rally in the 14th began with two hit batters and a bunt single that loaded the bases off SDSU hurler Brett Douglas. Chris Bonnell then greeted reliever Dan Bruckart with a two-run single to drive in what proved to be the winning runs. An RBI double by Ryan Bird and a sacrifice fly from C.J. Lang brought in the other two runs.
Tabeek was credited with the win to improve to 4-1 with teammate Eric Brock closing out the game to pick up his first save. Douglas was the hard-luck loser as his record fell to 0-3.
San Diego State will now take a short break from league play as it travels to Cal State Fullerton to take on the second-ranked Titans on Tuesday, May 3, at 5:00 p.m. That contest will be televised live on ESPN2.
UNLV 7, San Diego State 3UNLV 000 001 020 000 04 - 7 14 0SDSU 001 001 010 000 00 - 3 21 0Rodriguez, Navarro (8), Tabeek (8), Brock (14) and TellamBillings, Douglas (8), Bruckart (14) and SwaydanW - Tabeek (4-1)L - Douglas (0-3)Sv - Brock (1)HR - UNLV: Parraz (6) SDSU: Berry (1)Time - 4:29Att. - 902