Titans' Rally Stopped Short in First Loss of Season Feb. 16, 2003 – Las Vegas, Nev.
Box Score
Robert Vankirk's two-run eighth-inning homer off Cal State Fullerton All-American
closer Chad Cordero proved the difference as UNLV held off a ninth-inning
rally by the No. 6 Titans for an 8-6 win at Earl E. Wilson Stadium Sunday
afternoon.
Fullerton, which left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, fell to
8-1 overall, while the Rebels improved to 6-3. Titan starter Dustin Miller
(1-1) suffered his first loss while UNLV starter David Seccombe improved
to 2-0. UNLV's Ryan Braun -- who worked two relief stints in the ninth
-- picked up his first save.
After Vankirk's homer forged an 8-5 UNLV lead in the bottom of the eighth,
Titan DH Sergio Pedroza led off the ninth with a solo homer -- his second
of the game -- off Braun to cut the lead to two runs. After pinch-hitter
Joe Turgeon struck out, Ronnie Prettyman lined a single off third baseman
Patrick Dobson' glove. UNLV then summoned Friday night starter and staff
ace Robbie Van to replace Braun and face Shane Costa.
But Costa doubled to deep center to put runners on second and third and
Van walked Richie Burgos to load the bases. So the Rebels put Braun (who
had been moved to left field) back on the mound and he induced a pop-up
from Kyle Boyer before striking out freshman sensation Danny Dorn to end
the game.
The Titans found themselves trailing for the first time on the season
when Ryan Ruiz blasted a two-run homer to left field in the bottom of
the first to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead. Eddie Gill then doubled with
one out and scored on a subsequent single up the middle by Eric Nielsen.
Twice the TItans cut into the Rebels' lead, but both times UNLV matched
Fullerton. Dorn's second-inning RBI-single cut the Rebels' lead to 3-1,
but Fernando Valenzuela Jr. blasted a leadoff homer off Miller in the
bottom of the frame to restore the three-run cushion.
Then, after P.J. Pilittere's RBI-grounder and Pedroza's solo homer made
it a 4-3 game in the top of the fourth, UNLV added a couple of runs off
Ricky Romero in the bottom of the inning. Patrick Dobson singled to left
to open the inning and a fter moving to third on a double by Valenzuela,
scored on a wild pitch by Romero. Valenzuela followed home shortly after
on Peter White's single to left.
But Fullerton successfully countered with another two-run frame in the
fifth to draw within one run for a second time. Prettyman blooped a single
to left-center field to lead off and scored when Costa laced a triple
into the right field corner. Costa trotted home on Burgos' unassisted
groundout to first to cut the lead to 6-5.
The Rebels threatended for more in the sixth after the first two batters
reached against Romero, but reliever John Tucker came on to induce a 6-3
double play grounder and 5-3 groundout to end the inning.
The Titans had Dorn at second base with just one out in the eighth, but
he got caught in a pickle and tagged out when Rebel pitcher James Thompson
snagged a sharply hit grounder off Justin Turner's bat.
Pedroza was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI and two runs to pace the Titan
offense. Dobson was 3-for-4 for UNLV.
Fullerton will host Nevada next weekend at Goodwin Field.
