THE ELEVATOR

Wednesday, May 9, 2007 | 7:22 a.m.

Who's going to the penthouse in local and regional sports - and who's getting the shaft:

GOING UP

Kevin Skogley

The UNLV left-hander tied a school record by striking out 15 San Diego State batters Sunday as UNLV completed a sweep of the Aztecs at Tony Gwynn Stadium - named for the Hall of Famer who happens to be the SDSU coach. Perhaps he's teaching his players more about broadcast analyzing than hitting a curveball.

Kyle Busch

After flipping upside down at Talladega last weekend, the Las Vegas lead foot kept the shiny side up and finished second in the latest Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR convoy, at Richmond. After , race winner Jimmie Johnson and Busch announced they are changing their names to Pig Pen and the Rubber Duck and are about to put the hammer down.

Ring generalship

Give Floyd Mayweather Jr. five stars for the way he hit while mostly avoiding being hit by a game but past his prime Oscar De La Hoya in their showdown at the MGM Grand on Saturday night

GOING DOWN

Ring excitement

but in terms of fistic drama, it wasn't exactly Hagler-Hearns now was it? Put it this way: By the eighth round, my Grandpa and crazy Uncle Sid were talking about getting a tattoo and a body piercing and ordering UFC 007, or whatever they are calling the next mixed martial arts pay-per-view card.

Greetings from Rosenblatt Stadium

That's what it says on the photo on the back of the UNLV baseball media guide, which suggests the Rebels are familiar with the home of the College World Series in Nebraska. But instead of "Greetings from Rosenblatt Stadium , " perhaps the inscription should read , "Wish We Were Here," considering the Rebels have never made it to Omaha in their 40-year history.

Las Vegas Gladiators

Here's a shocker: Our football-team-in-a-can franchise lost another game at the Orleans on Sunday, bowing 57-39 to the Los Angeles Something or Others. The locals were actually hanging in there until Lucy pulled the football away to prevent Gladiators kicker Chuck "Good Grief" Brown from booting another onside kick into the stands.