April 8, 2016
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - UNLV scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth inning to break a 5-5 deadlock and went on to defeat San Diego State, 7-6, Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium. In the process SDSU wasted another fine pitching performance from redshirt freshman Harrison Pyatt, who was in line to notch his first win of the season late in the contest.
With the victory the Rebels improved to 12-17 overall and 5-8 in the Mountain West while the Aztecs saw their record fall to 7-20 (2-8 MW).
Pyatt went the opening 6.2 inning, allowing five runs on seven hits with two walks and a season-high seven strikeouts. The defense let the Aztec hurler down as only three of the runs were earned due to defensive miscues.
UNLV's game-tying rally in the top of the seventh, when they scored three runs, set the stage for the final inning when the visitors pushed across a pair of runs to take a 7-5 lead.
Junior lefty reliever Jacob Erickson, who would suffer the loss to fall to 3-4, opened the top of the ninth by walking the first two Rebel batters, both of whom would eventually score in the frame. Those base on balls ended Ericson's evening, and with Brian Heldman on the mound for SDSU the Rebels used a sacrifice bunt and two-RBI single to score both runners.
The Aztecs got a run back in the bottom of the ninth on Spencer Thornton's double and Jordan Verdon's RBI single, but that would be the end of the scoring as the home side came up one run short.
San Diego State had erased a 1-0 UNLV lead by scoring four times in the third inning on four consecutive hits, two walks and a sacrifice fly. Chase Calabuig had an RBI triple in the frame and Alan Trejo contributed a run-scoring single while the Aztecs also scored on a wild pitch and sacrifice fly off the bat of Verdon.
After UNLV scored once in the fourth, SDSU regained its three-run advantage with a run in the fifth courtesy of singles by Thornton and Tyler Adkison plus an RBI ground out to shortstop by Verdon. The 5-2 lead stood up until the Rebels tied the contest in the seventh.
Trejo finished the night with three hits, an RBI and run scored to lead the San Diego State offense. Thornton, Adkison and Andrew Brown ended with two hits apiece as all nine starters in the SDSU lineup reached safely via a base hit at least once. Verdon led all players with three RBI in the contest.
UNLV and San Diego State will continue their three-game weekend series on Saturday, April 9, at 11:00 a.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Due to impending inclement weather, start time for that game has been moved up from its original time of 2:00 p.m.