Aztecs Upended at UNLV, 8-5
San Diego State was unable to preserve a two-run lead Friday as host UNLV rallied for an 8-5 victory in the opening game of a Mountain West series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
LAS VEGAS – San Diego State was unable to preserve a two-run lead Friday as host UNLV rallied for an 8-5 victory in the opening game of a Mountain West series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
The Rebels (21-20, 7-12 MW) scored five runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batter in the bottom of the seventh to snap a three-game slide against the Aztecs (15-28, 10-9 MW), who slipped into a tie for third place in the conference standings with Nevada.
UNLV grabbed the early lead with three unearned runs in the first and kept the visitors off the basepaths until the fourth inning when SDSU finally broke through with three markers of its own to even the contest.
After Finley Bates drew a one-out walk, Nevan Noonan followed with his third homer of the season on the first offering from starter Carson Lane. Moments later, CJ Moran doubled to left field and alertly raced home on Daniel Arambula’s single up the middle.
The Aztecs vaulted in front 5-3 in the sixth when Bates and Noonan walked to lead off the frame and ultimately crossed the plate on Arambula’s RBI double to left center and Jonathan Smith’s sacrifice fly, respectively.
However, the proverbial roof caved in for the Scarlet and Black in the seventh when the Rebels sent 11 batters to the plate against four SDSU pitchers.
After pinch hitter Isaac Rodriguez belted a solo homer and Paul Myro IV reached on a fielder’s choice off reliever Peyton Rodgers, Connor Shaw entered and yielded consecutive singles to Dean Toigo and Elijah Rodriguez, with Myro racing home on the latter hit to tie the score.
Aaron Kniffin was summoned from the bullpen but struck JP Hefft with a pitch to load the bases before issuing a walk to Cole Konisarsky, which forced in Toigo with the go-ahead run. Moments later, Brendan O’Sullivan laced a single through the right side to plate Rodriguez and Hefft to give the host school an 8-5 advantage.
Will Marquart (2.0 IP) and Alex Overbay (1.0 IP) kept the Aztecs off the scoreboard for the final three innings, as each offset a hit with a pair of strikeouts.
Marquart earned the victory, raising his record to 4-1, while Overbay collected his fourth save of the year despite giving up a one-out double to Jake Jackson in the ninth. Jackson was left stranded at third after a wild pitch, as Overbay recorded a strikeout and received a flyout to end the game.
On the flip side, Connor Shaw (0-1) was charged with the loss after giving up two runs in the pivotal seventh.
SDSU starter Aidan Russell matched his career high with six innings pitched and set a season best with five strikeouts against three hits and a trio of walks. The Aztec right-hander retired 12 straight hitters from the second through the fifth inning before walking Toigo to lead off the sixth.
The Rebels plated three unearned runs in the first after loading the bases against Russell on consecutive groundouts by Koniarsky and O’Sullivan, while Cooper Sheff followed with an RBI single. Previously, Toigo walked and Elijah Rodriguez threaded a base hit up the middle, while Hefft reached on a fielding error at third.
Rodriguez led all players with three hits on the night, while Arambula finished with two in the loss for the Aztecs.
UNLV starter Carson Lane (5 R, 4 H, 3 BB) posted seven strikeouts in six innings and retired the first 10 batters he faced before walking Bates in the fourth.
UP NEXT
San Diego State continues its series at UNLV on Saturday, April 26, starting at 6:05 p.m. PT. The Aztecs-Rebels showdown will air live on the Mountain West Network.