Rebels end down season at 24-31

Tim Graham

Monday, May 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

There were no tears. There were no embraces. There were no expletives.

A trying campaign came to an end for the UNLV baseball program Sunday afternoon, but the players and coaches weren't too upset. Instead, they appeared relieved the whole thing was over.

UNLV lost to New Mexico 11-7 at Wilson Stadium, completing the second-worst season in program history and finishing a series during which the coaching staff was suspended for a clerical error. The Rebels finished 24-31 and 10-19 in its first year of Western Athletic Conference competition.

"I didn't want it to end this early, but the way things were going, it's a relief," said third baseman Ryan Hankins, a junior likely gone to the upcoming major-league draft.

Last year, the Rebels won the Big West Conference championship and qualified for the NCAA Regionals before eventual national champ Louisiana State knocked them out of the tournament.

But that was a different team. Since that final game in Baton Rouge, La., the Rebels lost six underclassmen to the pros, six seniors to graduation and head coach Fred Dallimore to retirement.

So with Dallimore's 12-year appendage, Rod Soesbe, as the coaching replacement and a core of inexperienced talent, the Rebels staggered through the 1997 season. The only team in UNLV history that fared worse was the 1974 squad, which went 19-34.

This year's low lights:

* In 54 games, the Rebels allowed 492 runs on 730 hits. The only team to give up more -- although not by much -- was the 1982 team, which played 70 games.

* Their ERA was 7.43, the worst in program history. In WAC play it was 9.24.

* They were outscored, 492-440, outhit, .350-.307, and outslugged, .542-.483.

* They stole 51 bases, but were caught 80 times. No player stole more bases than he got caught.

* They had one eight-game losing streak, two four-game skids and a three-game slump.

* All three coaches -- Soesbe, Jim Pace, Kurt Mattson -- were given revolving one-game suspensions during the three-game New Mexico series for omitting a player from the roster submitted to the NCAA. The player reportedly is Green Valley's A.C. Smith, who played a marginal role, batting .186 with five RBI and three runs scored in 25 games.

As he reflected on the season Sunday, however, Soesbe was most upset about the pitching.

"The most frustrating part for me was not being able to control enough on the bump," said Soesbe, 50, who last was a head coach at Lee College in Texas in 1984. "I knew we would struggle there a little bit, but I thought I could control it more than I did.

"We would get a lead and lose it, retake the lead and lose it. That was typical all year long. As the season went on, the pitching didn't get better."

The hurlers, however, weren't bleak from start to finish. They put together for nine-game winning streak in February, during which UNLV beat strong programs like Cal Northridge and Clemson.

Offensively, the Rebels grappled with injuries most of the year. Shortstop Curt Anthony, a Bishop Gorman grad, was lost to torn knee ligaments; second baseman Sean Campbell played just 25 games because of a shoulder injury; Kevin Eberwein, a returning freshman All-American from Green Valley, battled tendinitis in his wrist late in the year; infielder Ace Bedich missed 52 games due to early-season knee surgery.

"It was one thing after another," Soesbe said. "We had depth, coming into the season, especially in the infield. We were strong there."

Despite their problems, the Rebels' future isn't bleak. They can lose only two players to the pros this year. Hankins, who will leave with the highest career batting average in UNLV history at .380, and catcher Toby Hall are the only draft-eligible players.

UNLV also has a nucleus of offensive talent to look forward to. In addition to Eberwein, Durango alum Ryan Ludwick will return. Ludwick set Rebel freshman records for power, recording team highs with 16 home runs and 68 RBIs.

"I know we were young, but I thought we had a good shot at winning the WAC this year," said pitcher Tista Perri, who watched his college career come to an end Sunday. He and reliever Jason Warren were the Rebels' lone seniors.

"We beat some good teams this year. I thought we could win it. But I guess it's over now."

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