Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Rebels back in race

Presented with an opportunity to jump back into the Big West Conference baseball race, the UNLV Rebels took full advantage against one of the league's front-runners.

Kevin Eberwein's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th inning Thursday night lifted the Rebels to a 2-1 triumph over Long Beach State at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The victory, coupled with a loss by top-ranked Cal State Fullerton at New Mexico State, pulled UNLV to within two games of the conference lead. The Rebels now stand 28-11, 4-3 in Big West play. Both Fullerton and Long Beach suffered their first defeats of the conference season, and boast 6-1 marks.

Eberwein's game-winner was set up when Ryan Hankins and Stacy Kleiner opened the 10th with singles off Long Beach State reliever Iran Berrera. The pair were advanced on Brian Anthony's sacrifice bunt, before Ted Wilkes was intentionally walked to fill the bases. The stage was then set for Eberwein, who, after finding himself quickly behind 0-2, battled back and lined a Berrera slider into left field to end the game.

"I knew he was going to come with the slider eventually," Eberwein said. "He kept throwing fastball, fastball, fastball, so I just had to stay ready. That's the first slider I've hit all season."

UNLV coach Fred Dallimore said Eberwein's performance in the clutch is a portent of things to come from the 19-year-old freshman.

"You have a tendency when you're a freshman to try to do too much," said Dallimore. "I think his first two cuts were high fastballs which looked good but weren't strikes. As a consequence, with the two strikes he widened his stance and just tried to be quick to the ball. He's going to be a great player."

Rob Luce (5-1) picked up the victory for UNLV, throwing 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief. Bererra (4-2) took the loss for Long Beach State.

"This was a well-played college game," Dallimore said. "There was good pitching on both sides, great defense -- only one error in the game -- and some timely hitting. We needed this one. We were on a skid."

The Rebels took a 1-0 lead against 49er starter Rocky Biddle in the third inning when Anthony bounced a single back through the box to score Hankins. The score remained unchanged until the top of the sixth, when Long Beach's Jason Hodges launched UNLV hurler Tom LaRosa's first pitch of the inning over the right-field fence to knot the score.

Both teams had quality scoring chances in the ninth. The 49ers got a leadoff double from Keith Cowley, but he was caught off second base on a close call when Al Watson misfired on a bunt attempt. Long Beach State coach Dave Snow was thrown out of the contest during the ensuing argument with umpire Leonard Gainey. UNLV also got its leadoff man aboard, but Berrera came on and induced Paul Tanner to bounce into a double play.

The Rebels now set their sights on the final two games of the series, at 7:05 tonight and 1:05 p.m. Saturday, both at Wilson Stadium.

"These games are crucial to us if we are going to stay in the race," Dallimore said. "We're still thinking league championship. Right now we need to worry about ourselves and if we get help from somebody else then we'll have the world by both ends.

"The race is going to be tighter than everybody thinks. Fullerton is very good at home and they've played some tough people on the road, but I don't think their pitching is as good as it was a year ago. This game here tonight put us back into the race."

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