Rice ends UNLV’s season in WAC tournament

Friday, May 21, 1999 | 10:56 a.m.

FRESNO, Calif. -- Top-ranked Rice rallied for three runs in both the eight and ninth innings to stay unbeaten in the Western Athletic Conference tournament with a 9-6 win over UNLV Thursday afternoon at Beiden Field.

The win was the Owls' 10th consecutive WAC tournament win and extends Rice's record for wins in a season to 50. UNLV's season ends at 27-34.

The Owls (50-11) needed Jason Gray's 19th home run of the year, a two-run blast to right-center, to tie the game in the eighth, then Damon Thames' double in the ninth put Rice ahead to stay.

UNLV starter Ryan Olson helped the Owls get started in the second, walking the bases loaded with none out. Jacob Baker's single to right accounted for two runs, and Eric Arnold's sacrifice fly to center made it 3-0 Rice.

UNLV knocked Jeff Nichols out of the game with a three-run rally in the seventh, but Rice answered with its own rally in the top of the eighth. Back-to-back doubles by Will Ford and Justin Berg got one of the runs back, then Gray greeted reliever Jimmy Smith (0-3) with the home run.

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