May 3, 2015
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - UNLV rallied for four runs in the sixth inning to overcome a two-run deficit and went on to a 4-3 victory over San Diego State Sunday afternoon. The loss dropped the Aztecs' record to 31-18 overall and 17-10 in the Mountain West as they remain in second place in the league standings.
Just as it did on Saturday, SDSU took a 2-0 lead, this time with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Steve Pallares and Chase Calabuig opened the frame with singles and advanced to second and third respectively on Ty France's fly ball to deep center field. Seby Zavala then doubled down the left field line to bring both runners home.
Aztec starting pitcher Marcus Reyes worked himself out of jams in four of the first five innings as the visitors left a total of eight runners on base over that period. His luck would run out, however, in the top of the sixth.
The Rebels (22-24, 8-16 MW) began that inning with three singles sandwiched around a fly ball to center to load the bases with one out. That would signal the end of Reye's stint on the mound. Despite leaving the contest with the score tied, the sophomore left-hander would end up absorbing the loss to fall to 6-3 on the year.
Zack Oakley came on in relief of Reyes and threw just one pitch, retiring the lone man he faced on a foul pop up to Zavala behind the plate. That brought Mitch Bluman in to face the left-handed hitting Payton Squier.
Bluman was not as fortunate as Squier hit his third offering high off the fence in right field for a bases-clearing triple. Erik VanMeetren followed with a RBI single to give the visitors a 4-2 led.
The Aztecs pulled run back in the bottom of the seventh as Allan Trejo doubled, went to third on a ground out to first by Bubba Derby and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Danny Sheehan. But that's as close as the home team would get the rest of the way.
UNLV starter Blaze Bohall (6-2) would claim the victory after tossing five innings allowing two runs on eight hits with a walk. Ben Wright would go the final four, surrendering a run on two hits with a strikeout to notch his second save.
Calabuig (run scored) and France would end the afternoon with two hits apiece with Zavala (two RBI) and Trejo (run scored) each recorded a double.
Up next for San Diego State is a short trip across town on Tuesday, May 5, to face the University of San Diego at 6:00 p.m. at USD's Fowler Park.