SAN DIEGO – Despite a combined 18 strikeouts from four pitchers, San Diego State was unable to maintain a 3-0 lead on Saturday, as UNLV rallied for a 4-3 victory in the second game of a weekend series at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Aztecs allowed just five hits but were plagued by eight wild pitches and seven walks, slipping to 4-10 on the season and 0-2 in Mountain West action, while the Rebels move to 8-7 on the year and 2-0 in conference play.
Offensively, SDSU was led by Poncho Ruiz, who finished with a season-high three hits and twice drove in Cole Carrigg with RBI singles while scoring the Scarlet and Black's third run of the game on a balk.
The Aztecs dented the scoreboard in the first when Carrigg singled on a 1-2 pitch and stole second before racing home on Ruiz's subsequent base hit up the middle.
The SDSU tandem repeated virtually the same formula in the third, as Carrigg smacked a one-out double to left, stole third and promptly crossed the plate on Ruiz's single to right.
The Aztecs tacked on an additional marker in the fifth when Ruiz led off with a double and advanced to third on Deron Johnson's deep fly ball with one out before trotting home on a balk by UNLV reliever Joey Acosta.
San Diego State starter Kelena Sauer struck out a career-high nine batters and gave up just one hit through the first five innings but was pulled in the top of the sixth after issuing a leadoff walk to Joey Walls, who circled the bases on three consecutive wild pitches to put the Rebels on the board.
UNLV narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the seventh when Austin Kryszczuk drew a leadoff walk from Aztec reliever Jonny Guzman and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brian Leonhardt took the hill at this juncture but quickly served up another wild pitch, while pinch hitter Austin Pfeifer followed with an RBI single to left center. Hunter Cranton spelled Leonhardt and soon got the Scarlet and Black out of a jam by striking out Edarian Williams and Eric Bigani after a walk to Walls.
Clinging to a slim lead, the Aztecs changed pitchers once again in the eighth, but the Rebels plated two runs off Jadon Bercovich to seize the upper hand. After Braden Murphy struck out, pinch hitter Santino Panaro singled to left, while Rylan Charles beat out a slow bouncer past the left side of the mound and took second on a wild throw to first, as Panaro motored around to third. Moments later, Kryszczuk doubled to deep center, scoring Panaro and Charles with the go-ahead tallies.
Connor Woods (1-0), the Rebels third reliever, pitched four perfect innings for the victory, striking out four batters in that span, while Bercovich (1-1) absorbed the loss.
The teams combined for 20 runners left on base, including 13 for UNLV.
San Diego State will look to avoid a series sweep on Sunday when it faces the Rebels in the weekend finale, starting at 1 p.m. PDT. Following their clash with UNLV, the Aztecs will welcome Iowa to Tony Gwynn Stadium for a single game on Tuesday, March 15, beginning at 6 p.m.
Aztecs Edged by UNLV, 4-3
