Richy, UNLV swamp UNR, clinch at least second in MW

UNLV went into Thursday’s series opener against UNR badly needing to stop its skid, and with right-hander John Richy on the mound, the Rebels had to like their chances.

Richy, after overcoming a shaky start, then delivered.

His pitching combined with four UNR errors as well as two wild pitches that plated runs helped the Rebels pick up an 8-1 victory at Wilson Stadium to give themselves a day off next week.

By winning, UNLV (31-21, 18-10 Mountain West) clinched at least second place in the conference standings and a first-day bye in the league tournament, which begins Wednesday at Wilson Stadium. The Rebels open play at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“It’s very important ... especially with losing one of our front-line guys,” Rebels acting coach Stan Stolte said, referring to injured ace Erick Fedde. “It’s going to help. We just got a free game, basically.”

The Rebels also had the chance to tie New Mexico for first in the conference, but the Lobos (36-17-1, 19-9) rallied to defeat Air Force 2-1 in 10 innings.

UNLV went into its series against UNR (28-23, 15-13) having lost six of eight games, picking the wrong time of the season to go into a slump. But maybe beating the upstate rival will get the Rebels rolling again, and it doesn’t hurt they’re 19-3 at home.

Rebels catcher Erik VanMeetren, who singled and scored three times, called the victory “a good start,” but said UNLV needs to continue to win “to try to get the momentum rolling into the conference tournament. We’re at the end of the season now. We’ve got to get hot now.”

The Rebels helped their already strong NCAA regional chances, too, rising to 31st in the Ratings Percentage Index rankings. Four postseason projections this week gave the Rebels a No. 2 seed.

They figured to have the edge Thursday because not only was Richy (10-3) on the mound, but UNR went with right-hander Michael Bradshaw (0-1), who was making his first start of the season and the second of his career. Usual No. 1 starter Michael Fain is out this series because of an undisclosed injury, but is expected back for the Mountain West tournament.

Bradshaw gave up just one run and three hits through the first three innings and induced flyouts to the first two batters in the fourth. UNLV then strung together three successive hits to take a 3-1 lead and go ahead for good.

That advantage was more than enough for Richy, who faced plenty of early difficulties but allowed just one run despite stranding six runners through the first three innings. He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, catching a line drive right back at him.

“It works both ways,” Stolte said. “It’s confidence for us, and it kind of demoralizes the opponent.”

Once Richy got past that early stretch, he got sharper as the game went on, going seven innings while allowing seven hits and one run. He struck out seven.

“I made an adjustment for later in the game,” said Richy, the conference leader in victories. “I was effective later, and that’s part of pitching is being able to make adjustments.”

UNR did its part to make the night even easier for the Rebels, who scored on wild pitches in the fourth and sixth innings and took advantage of four Wolf Pack errors.

UNLV coach Tim Chambers served the second of his mandated four-game suspension for bumping an umpire Sunday at San Diego State.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.