Nevada baseball splits with Long Beach
by Chad Hartley, Outpost contributor
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In Friday's game, Nevada pitcher's gave up 21 hits that led to 18 runs for the 49ers en route to Long Beach State's 18-4 win. The Pack hitters didn't fare much better as Nevada mustered only seven hits off 49er starter Mike Gallo.
As Saturday's sudden spurt of snow sprayed over Peccole Park, the Pack had a chance to think about the four-game losing skid it was on. The streak started last weekend as Nevada was swept by Cal State Fullerton.
With the postponement of Saturday's game, the team met in the second game of the series Sunday and this time, the Pack fared much better.
Nevada pounded out 17 hits and didn't commit a single error as it rolled to a 18-8 win.
"The team that showed up (Sunday) for us was definitely the team that I tought we could be this year," Pack coach Gary Powers said. "The team we had on the field Friday, I don't know where they came from. But I am glad that they are not there anymore."
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Centerfielder Joe Inglett strides toward first base. Photo courtesy of the Nevada athletic department. |
The third and final game of the series, which was originally scheduled for Sunday and then moved to Monday because of the snow, was postponed again on Monday. The game will now be played May 10.
The game was postponed Monday morning due to a variety of reasons. First was the threat of snow during the afternoon. Next was Long Beach's difficulty rearranging flight plans back to Southern California. Finally, there was the Pack's schedule two-game series at Wichita State today and Wednesday.
Nevada's scheduled flight out of Reno left at 2 p.m. Monday and there would not ahve been a way to get the game with Long Beach played in time for both teams to make their scheduled flights.
"It was a whole bunch of factors," Powers said. "But we'll get that last game made up. Right now, however, we have to focus on Wichita State and then Pacific."
Nevada will travel to Sotckton, Calif., to face Pacific in a three-game Big West series beginning Friday.
In Friday's contest, Nevada fell behind early as the 49ers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Two of the runs were courtesy of a towering home run shot by Long Beach first baseman Jaeme Leal.
After the Beach tacked on three more scores in its hafl of the third, the Pack got on the board with three runs of its own.
The 49ers added one more in the fourth before busting the game open in the sixth with five runs.
Sophomore Matt Rainer started on the mound for the Pack and got shelled in the five innings he lasted. The righty gave up 10 runs, nine of them earned, on 10 hits while striking out three and walking two. The loss drops Rainer's record to 6-3 on the season.
Gallo picked up the win for Long Beach and moved his record to 6-0.
The Pack came out strong in Sunday's contest, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first after the Beach pushed one across in the top half of the inning. The Pack's outburst was highlighted by senior Lyle Overbay's three-run dong over the centerfield fence.
Nevada scored in every inning of the game including five in the eighth. Four of the runs in the eighth were courtesy of freshman Chris Nickerson's grand slam.
Junior Chad Qualls got the win after going five and two-thirds and giving up five runs. Senior Luke Drakulich pitched the final three and a third innings and was credited with his first save of the year.
"Qualls did a great job on Sunday," Powers said. "He really only had a couple of bad pitches that hurt him."
Now the Pack will focus its attention on Wichita State. The two-game nonconference series against the Shockers will be a resting period for some of the Pack players, Powers said.
"We are going to throw some guys on the mound that need to get some more innings in," Powers said. "We just want to go and get the games played and honor our obligation to play them. Then we have to come right back and be ready for Pacific."
The Shockers have a debt to pay against the Pack as Nevada won both games between the schools last season at Peccole. Going into last year's series, the Shockers had lost only one game before nevada doubled that number.
Powers said it will be a gametime decision on who starts for the Pack although he said Scott Albin and Bryan Schultz will get significant time on the mound.
After the games against Wichita State and Pacific Nevada will travel to Las Cruces, N.M. for a three-game set against the New Mexico State Aggies.
Posted Apr. 8, 1999
Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost
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