Ciarlo leads Nevada baseball to first win

Ciarlo leads Nevada baseball to first win

Appeal Staff Report

Frisco, Texas -Senior second baseman David Ciarlo knocked in a game-high three runs and went 3-for-3 Saturday in leading the University of Nevada baseball team to its first victory of the season, a 10-6 victory over the University of Texas at Arlington before an announced crowd of 75 at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas.

The Wolf Pack, now 1-5, had 10 hits and went error-free in dropping the Mavericks to 3-6 on the final day of the Southwest Diamond Classic.

Stephen Bautista (1-1) picked up the win for Nevada, coming on in relief for starter Kyle Howe in the fifth inning after the Mavericks closed the score to 4-3.

Bautista gave up three runs and a walk in 4 1/3 innings, while striking out three. Howe allowed three runs, five hits and walked three in his 4 2/3 innings.

UTArlington went up 1-0 after left fielder Justin McPherson, who led off the inning with a walk, scored on a fielder's choice by first baseman Dan Slinkman.

Nevada never trailed again, putting up four unearned runs in the bottom of the second.

Dayton High School graduate Matt Bowman led off the inning with a single, scoring on a David McLeod error. McLeod botched a Mike Hale fly ball. Hale subsequently scored on a an error by Mavericks catcher Chad Comer to make it 2-1.

Ciarlo followed with his second home run in as many days, scoring former Western Nevada College standout Tyson Jaquez, who had reached base on a fielder's choice.

The Mavericks rallied in the top of the fifth, with McPherson and Comer each scoring on fielder's choices cut the lead to 4-3.

The Wolf Pack responded by chasing out starter Andy Sauter with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Third baseman Justin Rodriguez singled in Ciarlo, who led off with a walk, and center fielder Jason Sadoian scored on Shaun Kort's sacrifice fly.

Sauter gave up six runs (two earned), four hits and two walks while striking out five in 4 1/3. Reliever Mark Piccca (0-1), who took the loss, gave up one run and a hit in finishing out the inning.

UT Arlington made it interesting in the sixth, tying things up at 6-6. Shortstop Jay Pitschka singled in Ryan Davis and center fielder Michael Choice doubled in a pair of runners to close out the Mavericks' scoring.

Nevada bounced back for good in the bottom of the inning when right fielder Dan Eastham's RBI single scored pinch hitter Nick Lead and Ciarlo singled in Eastham, who reached second on a wild pitch.

Matt Dunn (1 inning, two runs, one hit), Marcus Limus (who did not record an out in giving up a pair of runs) and Rett Varner (two hits in two 2 innings) finished up on the mound for the Mavericks.

The Wolf Pack added its final two runs in the seventh, when Kevin Rodland scored on a wild pitch and Kort's RBI single scored Rodriguez. Kort finished 1-for-3 with 2 RBI.

McLeod (2-for-5), Choice (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and DH Steffan Guest (2-for-4) led UTA.

The Wolf Pack returns home to begin a 15-game homestand beginning Tuesday, with a doubleheader against Cal State Monterey Bay, which starts at 2 p.m. at Peccole Park.