March 23, 2018
LAS VEGAS - The San Diego State baseball team fell to UNLV, 4-3, at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Friday night's series opener. The Aztecs fall to 14-7 (4-2 MW) while the Rebels improve to 20-3 (6-1 MW).
The Rebels opened the scoring with a two-run first inning. The Aztecs responded with Chase Calabuig hitting an RBI double in the top of the third to score Julian Escobedo before Dean Nevarez hit a game-tying solo home run in the top of the fourth to knot the score at 2-2.
UNLV regained its lead in the home half of the fourth after Max Smith scored on a wild pitch.
The Aztecs went to the long ball to tie the game once again in the top of the sixth, as Chad Bible hit his team-leading third home run of the season to tie the game at 3-3.
The Rebels took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth with a Grant Robbins RBI double. UNLV closer Bryan Menendez retired SDSU's hitters in order in the top of the ninth to seal UNLV's 20th win of the season.
SDSU starter Harrison Pyatt went five innings for the Aztecs, allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Jacob Erickson was handed his first loss of the season, hurling 2.2 innings with one run allowed.
NOTES
- The Aztecs fall to 7-2 in its last nine games in Las Vegas.
- In just his fourth career start against UNLV, Dean Nevarez hit his fourth career home run against the Rebels. Over his career, Nevarez is 9-for-20 (.450) with four home runs, eight runs scored, 15 RBI, and a 1.300 slugging percentage when playing UNLV.
- Through the first six games of conference play, Chad Bible is hitting .417 with three home runs and six RBI. He leads the team in all three categories so far in MW action.
- It is the fourth consecutive time that the Aztecs have lost a series opener against UNLV. The Aztecs have come back to win the final two games of the series in each of the previous three series.
- The Aztecs suffer its first Friday night loss of the season, now owning a 4-1 record on Fridays this season.
UP NEXT
San Diego State and UNLV resume its three-game series tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. Junior right-hander Garrett Hill (4-0, 0.95 ERA) is scheduled to take the ball for the Aztecs, while UNLV is projected to send RHP Trevor Horn (2-0, 6.49 ERA) to the mound.