March 22, 2005

Box Score

Las Vegas, Nev. - Freshman Sean Dovel broke open a 6-6 tie game in the top of the ninth with an RBI single through the left side that drove in senior Matt White from third to give LMU baseball the 7-6 win over UNLV on a rainy Tuesday night. The Lions led by as many as four, but UNLV chipped away throughout the four-hour plus game to force the late-game Lion heroics.

LMU took a 6-2 lead after tallying four runs in the top of the fourth. Jon Oller started the rally with a double, tying him with 2004 LMU baseball alum Billy Lockin for eighth place on the all-time career doubles leaders list with 49. Brandon DiTolla drove Oller in with a single and reached second base safely on Dovel's fielder's choice ball that was misplayed by the Rebels. A.J. LaMonda's shot to center was also misplayed, this time by center fielder Ryan Kowalski, to allow DiTolla and Dovel to score. LaMonda later scored the fourth run of the inning on a wild pitch by UNLV starter Eric Brock.

But the Rebels were back in the game by the seventh, tallying single runs in the fourth and sixth innings and two in the seventh to tie things at six each and set-up Dovel's game-winning RBI.

LMU used a staff pitching day in the contest, with senior Gabe Bueno picking up his first win of the season. Blake Feaser earned his second save.

Rebel reliever Kyle Tabeek suffered his first loss of the season and fell to 2-1.

Joe Frazee went 2-for-3 on the night with two runs scored. His triple in the third moved him into sixth place on the all-time career triples leaders list with 10. White also chipped in an impressive performance Tuesday night, going 3-for-5 with one run scored. The senior also made a key diving catch in right field to prevent a UNLV hit and preserve the one run LMU lead in the top of the eighth.

Dovel's game-winning hit was his first of the night and it brought in the first run LMU has scored in the ninth inning all season.

The Lions will continue the Spring Break road trip, traveling to Washington on Wednesday in preparation for the West Coast Conference three-game series at Gonzaga this weekend. The series will be a Thursday-Friday-Saturday schedule due to the Easter holiday. Fans can follow all of the action on the Lions' Audio Network and Gametracker, both at www.LMULions.com, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Thursday.