UNLV baseball team falls to Rice

     Associated Press
      After Friday's pitching duel between UNLV and Rice, won by the Rebels 1-0 in 11 innings, the teams let loose Saturday in their Western Athletic Conference game.
      Lance Berkman went 3-for-5 with six RBIs, including a three-run homer, as the Owls thumped the Rebels 20-12 in front of 1,019 fans at Wilson Stadium.
      Berkman, the Rice first baseman, also hit a triple with the bases loaded for the fourth-ranked Owls (18-5, 7-1 WAC South Division). Rice shortstop Joseph Cathey was 5-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored. The Owls collected 24 hits against five UNLV pitchers.
      The Owls kept the Rebels (14-11, 2-3) in the contest thanks to 10 errors, accounting for nine unearned runs. Kevin Eberwein was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs for UNLV.
      Jeff Nichols (4-1) earned the victory for Rice, allowing two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Tista Perri (3-3) took the loss, giving up eight hits and eight runs (six earned) in 3 1/3 innings.
      The teams conclude their three-game series today at 1:05 p.m.
      -- GOLF -- At Houston, UNLV is one stroke back after the second round of the Golf Digest Invitational at the Tournament Players Club at the Woodlands.
      New Mexico leads the 15-school event at 588, followed by UNLV (599), the defending tournament champion. Clemson is third at 592, and Houston, Texas Christian and Arizona State are tied for fourth at 595.
      Ted Oh and Bill Lunde are tied for eighth place at 146 to lead the Rebels. Jeremy Anderson (147), Mike Ruiz (152) and Gilberto Morales (153) round out the UNLV scoring.
      The tournament concludes today.
      -- TRACK -- UNLV sophomore Safiya Ingram won the shot put and discus as the Lady Rebels opened their outdoor season at the second annual Desert Classic at Myron Partridge Stadium.
      UNLV's Hydianne Harper, Donielle Twitty and Dahhia Smith swept the top three positions in the 100 meters.
      Other Rebels winners included Alicia Tyson in the 200 meters, Angela Harris in the 400-meter hurdles and Christine Arroyo in the triple jump.