March 9, 2011

UNLV 9, Arizona 7 (Box Score)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The No 14 Arizona baseball team appeared to be on its way to a two-game sweep of host UNLV, but the Rebels rallied with nine runs in the seventh inning to complete a comeback and upset the Wildcats, 9-7, on Wednesday afternoon at Wilson Stadium.

It was a fluky bottom of the seventh all the way around. Matt Chaffee was charged with the loss after giving up eight runs on five hits and one walk. But the line does not tell the whole story as a series of routine ground balls to the left side of the infield took tricky hops and were unplayable for UA's infielder.

The damage was magnified when a high fly ball off the bat of Rance Roundy fell between left fielder Johnny Field and shortstop Alex Mejia near the left field foul line. Two runs scored on the play, giving the Rebels a one-run lead for the first time in the game.

Arizona (10-3) jumped out to a 7-0 advantage after six innings. The Wildcats scored two runs in the fourth, four in the fifth and one in the sixth and appeared to be on cruise control as Konner Wade turned in a gem on the mound.

Wade did not factor into the decision despite a fantastic start. The freshman right-hander struck out 6.0 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit and one walk. Over the first five innings, Wade actually faced the minimum number of hitters. A runner that reached via a walk in the first was picked off, and another that singled in the third was thrown out trying to steal allowing Wade to face just 15 batters through five frames.

UNLV (12-3) found more success against the bullpen, even if the balls weren't hit hard or far. The Rebels tallied eight of their 10 hits in the game in the decisive seventh inning.

That was not the story for Field, a Las Vegas native who belted a three-run home run in the fifth inning. Earlier in the game, Seth Mejias-Brean drove in a run with a single to right and Alex Mejia drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to spot the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

Arizona finished with nine hits in the game, led by Joey Rickard's 3-for-4 day at the plate. Six Wildcats scored a run and six tallied at least one hit the contest.

Arizona will return home to face Northern Colorado in Tucson, Ariz., this weekend. The three-game series will begin on Friday night at 6 p.m. (MST).