Utes Drop 5-4 Decision to Rebels

Saturday, March 31

Franklin Covey Field

1:00 PM

University of Utah

9-17, 2-3

UNLV

14-19, 3-2

UNLV Rebels

Utah Utes

3/31/2007 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 31, 2007

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah baseball team suffered its second consecutive tough loss to UNLV Saturday afternoon at Franklin Covey Field. The Utes fell to the Rebels 5-4 just one day after dropping a 7-5, 11-inning decision.

Saturday's contest was tied 3-3 after seven innings, as Utah's Eric King and UNLV's Craig Heyer were locked in a good pitching duel. In the eighth, the Rebels loaded the bases with one out against Ute reliever John James. Utah brought Greg Krause out of the bullpen. But UNLV's Ryan Kowalski ripped a base hit off Ute first baseman Jay Brossman's glove for a two-run single. That base hit put the Rebels up 5-3.

Utah (9-17, 2-3 MWC) got a single run back in the bottom of the eighth. With two out, Ute designated hitter Bret Baldwin hammered an 0-1 offering from Heyer off the scoreboard in right field. Baldwin's 490-foot moon shot pulled Utah within a single run, 5-4. Back-to-back singles from catcher Jesse Shriner and third baseman Erich Kemp put runners at first and third. But shortstop Mike Mitchell's line drive to right field was snagged by UNLV's Calvin Beamon to end the threat.

UNLV (13-19, 3-2 MWC) went down in order in the ninth. But Utah didn't muster much offense in the bottom half of the frame either. First baseman Jay Brossman extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a two-out single, but that was all the Utes could get against Rebel closer Adam Moser. Utah's Dustin Hennis flied out to right field to end the contest.

Utah led 1-0 after one inning, when second baseman Corey Shimada doubled and scored on a Hennis triple. UNLV got a single run in the top of the third to tie things at 1-1. The Rebels scored twice, taking advantage of a Utah error, in the top of the third to go up 3-1. The Utes knotted things at 3-3 in the sixth. Shriner drove a run in with an RBI groundout and Kemp pushed a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield to tie the contest.

James (0-2) suffered the loss for Utah, allowing two runs on two hits in one inning of work. Heyer (4-3) picked up the victory. He scattered 11 hits in eight innings, giving up four runs. Heyer struck out six, while allowing two walks.

Baldwin led the Utah offense, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Shimada was 2-for-5 with a run scored. Beamon was 2-for-4 with three runs driven in for UNLV. Kowalski was 2-for-3 and also had a pair of RBIs.

Utah and UNLV wrap up their three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

-UU-