LAS VEGAS – After rallying from an early five-run deficit, San Diego State was unable to protect a late lead, as UNLV put up single markers in the eighth and ninth inning on Sunday to hand the Aztecs a tough 9-8 defeat in the finale of a weekend series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
Trailing 7-2, SDSU (4-6, 2-1 MW) fought back, eventually vaulting in front, 8-7, in the top of the eighth after Xavier Gonzalez's groundout plated Tino Bethancourt, who laced a leadoff single through the right side and promptly stole two bases.
Buoyed by its good fortune, the Aztecs appeared to carry that momentum into the bottom of the inning, as pitcher Kelena Sauer retired the first two Rebel batters. The SDSU reliever also found himself ahead in the count against the next hitter Jacob Sharp. However, the UNLV catcher stayed alive and smacked a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left field to tie the score at 8-8.
Irvin Weems reached on a one-out single in the ninth for the Scarlet and Black but was erased from base paths after he was caught stealing.
That set the stage for a thrilling conclusion in the bottom of the frame where the Rebels' Alex Pimentel led off with a walk and later sprinted around third on Jason Sharman's one-out triple to right field. However, Bethancourt quickly gathered Shaun Montoya's relay and threw a seed home to Poncho Ruiz, whose sweeping tag on the leg of a head-first slide by Pimentel kept the score tied.
Yet the Aztecs were unable to send the game into extra innings, as Cade Martinez's throw to first on Paul Myro's high chopper towards the left side pulled Bethancourt off the bag, allowing Sharman to cross the plate with the winning tally.
Sharman's unearned run made a winner out of UNLV reliever Jack Sellinger (1-0), who pitched the final 3 2/3 innings, yielding two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk to go with six strikeouts, while Kelena Sauer (0-2) absorbed the tough loss. Sauer was SDSU's fifth pitcher of the day, giving up the two aforementioned runs on two hits and walk against one strikeout.
The Rebels (5-6, 1-2 MW) tagged Aztec starter Jonny Guzman with seven runs on six hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Most of the harm was done via the long ball, as Sharp hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, while Myro cracked a grand slam with one out in the third.
Evan Sipe accounted for two of SDSU's three early runs, lifting a sacrifice fly in the second before posting an RBI single in the fourth. In the interim, Cole Carrigg went deep for the first time this year with a two-out solo homer in the third.
Following Sipe's run-scoring hit, the Aztecs continued their comeback efforts in the fifth when Ruiz hit a towering shot over the fence in left, plating Montoya and Carrigg, who singled and walked, respectively.
With the margin cut to one, SDSU used its speed on the base paths to tie the score in the top of the seventh. Carrigg reached on a fielder's choice and took third on a wild throw by the catcher Sharp during a stolen base attempt. As UNLV tried to catch its collective breath, Carrigg promptly stole home before the next pitch was delivered, knotting the game at 7-7 and providing the game with another dramatic chapter in advance of final two decisive innings.
Rebel starter Joey Acosta gave up six runs on seven hits and one walk to go with seven strikeouts before exiting with one out in the fifth.
Conversely, the bullpen trio of Ricky Tibbett (2 hits), Omar Serrano and Eldridge Armstrong (1 hit) held UNLV scoreless for 4 2/3 innings, as each hurler offset one walk with a strikeout.
Ruiz and Gonzalez finished with two hits apiece for the Scarlet and Black, matching their counterparts Sharp and Braden Murphy.
San Diego State continues its road swing on Tuesday, March 7 with a non-conference clash at UC Riverside, starting at 6:30 p.m. PT.
Aztecs' Bid for Series Sweep Stymied by UNLV, 9-8
