by Zack Hall, Outpost Staff
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Runs are needed to win baseball games, but the University of Nevada baseball team scored more than necessary in its three-game set with New Mexico State.
The Pack went to Las Cruces, N.M., with a chance to gain some momentum in the Big West Conference race, in doing so it had 59 runners cross the plate over the weekend.
What Nevada accomplished with all those runs was two wins out of three ballg
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Wolf Pack slugger Lyle Overbay gets ready to hit. Photo by David Hunter. |
In doing so, the Pack broke Big West records for runs, hits and RBI with 38, 33 and 37, respectively.
"I've never been in a game like that," second baseman Justin Martin said. "It's from the whole team feeling good. You gain confidence and you just know what to hit. You see everything. It was nice to have it happen on our side."
Not a single starter for Nevada had less than two hits in the game.
Aggie starter Nick Alvarez was the only able to get one out in the performance. For that out, Alvarez gave up six runs.
Every New Mexico State pitcher had trouble though. Brian Moore suurendered the fewest runs with three in an inning of work to close out the ballgame.
"It was a conbination of us hitting real well and thier pitchers struggling on the mound," coach Gary Powers said. "Some of their pitchers had trouble throwing strikes and then they would bring in pitchers that threw strikes than we would be able to make good contact."
The Pack had five hitters who drove in four or more runs. Martin (four), centerfielder Joe Inglett (five), first baseman Don Price (five), left fielder Arona Taele (five) and shortstop Matt Maguire (six), were all able to accomplish the feat.
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Bryan Schultz throws a pitch to a Long Beach State hitter. Photo by David Hunter. |
Saturday's game was a different story, though. It would be the Pack's only loss of the series for Nevada as it went down 13-4.
Righthander Matt Church was unable to get anything going for the second straight week. The Aggies were able knock in seven runs in three innings agaisnt Church before he was taken out.
In the meantime, the Pack had trouble getting offensively. Nevada was unable to score in its first three appearances to the plate and only two runs in through the first six innings.
"It seemed like everytime we had a chance to get back into the game somebody would come in and do the job for them," Powers said. "It didn't work. That happens in this conference. In the Big West anyone is capable of putting up a win against you."
The Aggies, who were in second-to-last in the conference standings entering the series, were able to score six more times in the eighth frame to put the game out of reach. That inning was highlighted by a grand slam by designated hitter Chris Roberson off of Pack reliever Matt Rainer.
"It's always difficult to sweep in this conference," Martin said. "Whether it is Fullerton or New Mexico State, there is always a chance to lose a game."
On the brightside for the Pack, right fielder Lyle Overbay broke teh Nevada all-time hits record in the ballgame. With a single in the eighth inning Overbay was able to surpass Andy Dominique's mark of 272.
Overbay batted .625 with two doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs and eight runs scored in the series. He was named the Big West Player of the Week for the secodn time this season.
"Nobody really says it, but anytime anybody gets some kind of record on one team, it is a deal that everybody can be proud of," Powers said. "To have a player have a record that is one of the best in any conferene the team should be proud of that."
The opening matchup between the two teams was almost all Nevada, at least after the fifth inning.
Early, both teams had success agaisnt their opponents. Starters Chad Qualls for the Pack and the Aggies' Todd Uzell struggled in the contest giving up seven and thirteen respectively.
Nevada took the advantage though in the top of the fifth inning with the Pack holding on to a narrow 6-5 lead.
With two outs in the inning and the Pack with two on and nobody in, Nevada got started. Taele scored with a bases loaded walk setting up a chance for Overbay to hit. Overbay did not squander the opportunity. Overbay pulled the ball over the rightfield fence to notch four runs and give the Pack a comfortable 11-5.
All told, Overbay knocked in eight runs in the evening in a four-for-six effort with a single, double and two round-trippers.
Qualls was given his ninth win of the season to give him a league-best 9-1 record.
The series closed out the long stretch for the Pack in which they played 30 of its first 39 ball games away from Peccole Park.
"It's been a long, long year so far," Powers said. "It's hard to get on a roll when you play so much on the road. To go 25-14 in that stretch, I am proud of this team.
"Our fate is in our own hands. If we do the job in our last 16 games we should get a chance to move on (to regionals)."
The roadweary Pack will play 13 of its final 16 outtings at Peccole Park to finish the season.
"It's definitely nice to come home and play in front of your home fans," Martin said. "We don't have to worry about travelling, or told when to eat, or hearing the other teams' fans. It's a chance for us to sleep in our own beds in our hometown eating our home cooking."
The Pack will play a three-game series against Big West bottom feeder Sacremento State this weekend at Peccole.
Posted April 22, 1999
Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost
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