Utes Hang On Top Rebels 7-5 in Series Opener

Friday, April 28

Salt Lake City

6:00 PM

University of Utah

22-18, 4-10

UNLV

17-26, 5-6

UNLV Rebels

Univ. of Utah

4/28/2006 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 28, 2006

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY -- The University of Utah baseball team hung on for a 7-5 Mountain West Conference victory over UNLV Friday night at Franklin Covey Field. The Utes jumped out to a 6-1 lead after four innings before withstanding a furious comeback attempt by the Rebels.

Utah (22-18, 5-6 MWC) got on the board first, hanging a three-spot in the third inning. Left fielder Corey Shimada led off with an infield single and Kmetko singled to right field one out later. Ute first baseman Jay Brossman then hammered a Chris Saddoris offering for a home run to right-center field. Brossman's opposite field shot was to one of the deepest parts of the ballpark for his ninth dinger of the season.

UNLV (17-26, 4-10) cracked the scoreboard in the top of the fourth against Ute starter Josh Cooper. The Rebels' C.J. Lang hit a solo home run to right field. But that's all the damage UNLV would do against Cooper through the first seven innings.

Utah put together a huge, two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. With two down, catcher Adam Frank was hit by a pitch and Shimada drew a walk. Shortstop Ryan Khoury then singled to right, pushing Frank across to make it 4-1. Kmetoko followed with a run-scoring base hit to left, chasing Shimada home and giving the Utes a 5-1 advantage. A walk to Brossman loaded the bases and chased Sadorris from the game.

The first pitch from Rebel reliever Eric Brock was a wild pitch, allowing Khoury to score. Khoury's run gave the Utes their 6-1 advantage, which they took into the eighth inning.

Cooper, who threw more than 100 pitches, struggled a bit in the eighth. UNLV's Zach Borba led off with a double. One out later, Ryan Kowalski homered to right-center, pulling the Rebels within 6-3. A walk and a single later, Cooper was replaced by Ute closer Brad DeVore.

DeVore struggled a bit, allowing a single to load the bases. He then walked Blake Gailen to push a run across and make it 6-4. Albert Zerega then came through with a sacrifice fly to right field, pulling the Rebels within one, 6-5. But DeVore stopped the bleeding when he got Efren Navarro to ground out to first base.

Utah picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Shimada reached on a two-out bunt single. Khoury was hit by a pitch, pushing Shimada to second. Kmetko then delivered his fourth hit of the night. Shimada raced home from second on Kmetko's single to right and barely scored in front of the throw from UNLV right fielder Keith Smith. That run made it 7-5.

DeVore made it interesting in the ninth. Mike Cruz singled with one out for the Rebels. Then, with two outs, Lang singled putting runners on the corners. But DeVore induced a ground ball from Smith to pick up his fifth save and salvage the victory.

Cooper (4-5) tossed 7 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on eight hits. He struck out three and walked two in the victory. DeVore wasn't charged with a run, but allowed two inherited runners to score, in 1 2/3 innings of work. UNLV's Sadorris (5-6) was the first of five hurlers and suffered the loss.

Kmetko led the Utah offense, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Khoury and Shimada each tallied a pair of hits. Khoury scored one run and drove in another. Shimada scored three of Utah's seven runs.

The Utes and Rebels will play game two of the series Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Franklin Covey Field.

-UU-