UNLV's Patrick Dobson set a new MWC record with six RBI in the wiin.
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Rebels Move One Step Closer

UNLV advances to the championship game at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

May 23, 2003

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - In game seven of the Mountain West Conference Baseball Championship, No. 1 seed and 18th ranked UNLV (44-15) continued to dominate the field at Isotopes Park with a 13-1 victory over No. 2 seed San Diego State (28-31). Three conference tournament records were set in the game as Patrick Dobson set a record with six RBIs in the contest, bringing his tournament total to a record 12. Robert VanKirk also recorded the first grand slam in MWC tournament history.

VanKirk went 4-for-5 in the game with a grand slam homerun, a double, and four RBI. Dobson went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double.

With the game scoreless after 2 1/2 innings, Dobson cracked a three run homer over the left field fence to break the game open for the Rebels. The homerun was his 12th on the year.

SDSU responded in the top of the fourth after shortstop James Guerrero singled. Guerrero advanced to third on a double to left by Aztec center fielder Anthony Gwynn and eventually scored on a wild-pitch by Rebels' left-hander pitcher Jake Vose.

The Rebels found themselves with bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fourth when Dobson drove in his fourth and fifth RBIs of the game with a single to deep center field. The next at-bat saw first baseman Fernando Valenzuela drive a three-run homer over the wall in left center to expand the UNLV lead to seven runs (8-1). UNLV was able to get on the board again in the bottom of the fifth off a triple by Dobson to drive in catcher Robert Vankirk, who had reached with a double down the left field line, to set the RBI conference record. UNLV finished off the game with the grand slam homerun by Vankirk, his eighth homer on the year.

For SDSU, Gwynn finished the game 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, while second baseman Kyle Floquet went 1-for-3 with a double. Vose got the win for UNLV, improving to 8-4 on the season, while left-hander Ben Coon took the loss for San Diego State, dropping him to 5-5 on the season.

UNLV advances to the championship game at 3 p.m. on Saturday, while San Diego State will play at 7 p.m. tonight versus the winner of today's BYU/Utah game.