Serrano Shines in Aztecs' 5-3 Triumph over UNLV

SAN DIEGO – Bolstered by Omar Serrano’s career-high 10 strikeouts, San Diego State posted its second straight victory over UNLV on Saturday with a 5-3 triumph in the second game of a Mountain West series at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The Aztecs (8-19, 4-4 MW) also received two hits and a pair of RBIs from Las Vegas native Zane Kelly to secure their second conference series win in the past three weekends.

Serrano allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks in seven innings to earn the victory and move to 2-3 on the season. The SDSU senior kept the Rebels hitless over the final three innings of his appearance during which he struck out four batters against one walk.

UNLV (14-11, 2-6 MW) grabbed the early lead with an unearned run in the second when Cole Koniarsky raced home on a throwing error at shortstop after the Aztecs attempted to turn a double play. Previously, Koniarsky and Brendan O’Sullivan led off with consecutive singles, with the latter erased at second moments later on Gunnar Myro’s fielder’s choice grounder. However, the relay throw to first went awry, allowing Koniarsky to score from second.

Unfazed, Serrano induced a flyout to Chase Gallegos before striking out Paul Myro IV to prevent further damage.

The Aztecs responded with an unearned tally in their half of the frame when Kelly led off with a double and advanced on a failed pickoff attempt before crossing the plate on Drew Rutter’s sacrifice fly.

SDSU vaulted in front to stay in the third, plating two runs with two outs thanks to some clutch hitting by Kelly and Nevan Noonan. Amidst alternating strikeouts, Finley Bates and Daniel Arambula each drew walks and ultimately scored on consecutive singles by Noonan and Kelly, respectively.

Trailing 3-1, the Rebels trimmed the margin in the fourth when Koniarsky crossed the plate on an RBI single by Dwight Allen II with two outs.

However, the Aztecs responded with a single marker in their half of the frame when Evan Sipe drew a walk before circling the bases on Bates’ clutch two-out double to the gap in right field.

The Scarlet and Black extended its lead to 5-2 in the fifth when Arambula reached on a two-base throwing error and advanced on a groundout before racing home on Kelly’s sacrifice fly.

After Aidan Russell pitched a scoreless eighth in relief of Serrano, SDSU endured some anxious moments in the ninth when Xavier Cardenas III took the hill and issued a pair of leadoff walks to Gunnar Myro and Allen, who both advanced on a wild pitch. The Aztec closer struck out Isaac Rodriguez, while Mikey Cruz Jr. followed with an RBI groundout to bring in Myro.

With the Allen at third and the tying run at the plate, Cardenas corralled JP Hefft’s tapper back to the mound and calmly threw to first for the final out, notching his second straight save and third of the season.

On the flip side, UNLV starter LJ Mercurius was charged with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks with four strikeouts in four innings, while Reese Lueck pitched the final four frames, giving up one unearned run on two hits and a pair of walks.

Along with Kelly, Jake Jackson also finished with two hits to lead the Aztec offense.

UP NEXT
San Diego State will be looking to complete the weekend sweep against UNLV on Sunday when the two sides square off at noon PT. The Aztecs-Rebels showdown will air live on the Mountain West Network, and the first 100 fans in attendance will receive the first set of SDSU baseball trading cards to help celebrate Little League Day at Tony Gwynn Stadium.