May 4, 2007
SAN DIEGO - UNLV scored four times with two outs in the first inning and that's all it would need as it went on to a 6-3 win over San Diego State Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The loss increased SDSU's season-long losing streak to six games as it fell to 27-23 overall and 11-8 in the Mountain West Conference. In the process, the Aztecs missed a chance to pick up ground on second-place BYU, which lost at New Mexico earlier in the evening.
For the Rebels, it was only their second win in the last 14 games as they improved to 16-31 on the year (5-11 in league play).
UNLV junior right-hander Craig Heyer, who came into the contest with an earned run average of 6.35 (7.85 in MWC contests), scattered eight hits as he picked up the win to move his record of 4-7. Of the three runs he allowed over his eight innings of work, only one was earned.
SDSU senior starter Bruce Billings retired the first two men he faced in the opening inning before loading the bases on singles by Keith Smith and Efren Navarro plus a walk to Xavier Scruggs. Blake Gailen then delivered a two-run single to right before Rance Roundy drove in two with a double to the wall in dead center field to give the visitors a 4-0 lead.
The Aztecs came back with a run in the third on a leadoff walk to Josh Chasse, a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Decker and an RBI single by Troy Hanzawa. An ensuing single by Joe Spiers put runners on first and second with one out, but Heyer retired Nick Romero and Frank LoNigro without further damage.
After UNLV regained its four-run lead with a marker in the top of the fifth, San Diego State had a chance to close the gap in the bottom of the frame. Hanzawa singled and Spiers was hit by pitch with one out, but again Heyer got Romero and LoNigro to ground out to end the threat.
The Aztecs did strike for a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 5-3 contest. With one out, Garett Green reached first on a passed ball after swinging at strike three. Pat Colwell then drove him home with a double into the left field corner before scoring himself on a pinch-hit single by Brian Lucas.
Billing's night ended after that rally as J.R. Murphy came on to start the seventh. Billings, who took the loss to even his season mark at 3-3, finished his evening with seven hits and five runs allowed while recording five strikeouts and walking one.
The Rebels added an insurance run off Murphy on a leadoff walk and a pair of singles in the seventh before Mike Koons came on to get the final out of the inning. Koons tossed the final 2.1 frames, allowing no hits and notching a pair of strikeouts.
UNLV reliever Adam Moser came on to start the ninth, and after giving up a single to Cameron Johnson, retired the next three hitters to record his third save.
Hanzawa and Spiers accounted for four of San Diego State's nine hits on the night with a pair of singles apiece. Colwell had a hit, run scored and RBI as he extended his current hitting steak to seven games.
The Rebels and Aztecs continue their three-game weekend series with a contest on Saturday (May 5) at 1:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.