LAS VEGAS – San Diego State closed out its 2022 campaign on a sour note Saturday, dropping a 5-1 decision to UNLV at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
The Rebels (36-20, 21-9 MW) hit three home runs to help capture the rubber game of the weekend series and defeat the Aztecs (18-38, 10-20 MW) for the fifth time in six meetings this season.
UNLV twice went deep in the bottom of the second off two-time reigning MW Pitcher of the Week TJ Fondtain to build a 3-0 lead it would not relinquish.
The Rebels' Hank Zeisler led off the inning with a solo shot on a 1-0 offering, while Edarian Williams followed with a two-run blast moments later on a 3-2 pitch, plating Joey Walls, who previously singled.
SDSU scored its lone tally in the fifth when Irvin Weems doubled to right-center field and took third on the play thanks to a fielding error before crossing the plate on Caden Miller's sacrifice fly.
UNLV extended its lead to 4-1 in the sixth when Zeisler ripped a leadoff double, advanced to third on a wild pitch before racing home on Walls' sacrifice fly to left.
The Rebels then closed out the scoring with one out in the eighth on a solo homer by Austin Pfeifer.
Fondtain (3-7) was saddled with the loss after surrendering four of UNLV's five runs on six hits and one walk in five-plus innings of work. The Aztec left-hander struck out four and was lifted after facing one batter in the sixth. Robert Brodell pitched 2 2/3 innings of middle relief, allowing one run on two hits against a pair of strikeouts, while Kelena Sauer retired the final two hitters in the eighth.
On the flip side, Noah Beal (8-1) emerged triumphant after giving up just one run on five hits and one walk in five innings of his own.
SDSU threatened with two runners aboard in both the third and fourth innings, but Beal fought himself off the ropes on both occasions.
With one out in the third, Weems was hit by a pitch and Miller followed with a walk. However, the Rebel hurler induced a ground ball and a flyout to get out of the jam.
Then in the fourth, after Fondtain led off with a base hit and Brian Leonhardt followed with a one-out single, Beal avoided trouble with a strikeout and a pop up to keep the Scarlet and Black at bay.
Beal fanned three hitters on the afternoon, along with Ty Pohlman (2.0 IP, 1H) and Troy Balko (1.0 IP), who struck out three in the ninth after Connor Woods worked a scoreless eighth.
Weems and Leonhardt finished with two hits apiece for the Aztecs, while Walls and Zeisler had two each for the victors.
Weems, who established himself as one of the MW's top freshmen in 2022, batted .692 for the series vs. UNLV (9-13), finishing with two homers, four RBIs and five runs scored to go with three stolen bases. The Las Vegas native amassed 16 total bases on the weekend, compiling a 1.231 slugging percentage and a .714 on-base percentage, giving Aztec fans a glimpse of his bright future on The Mesa.
Aztecs Fall at UNLV in Season Finale, 5-1
