Aztecs Blank UNLV in First Round at MW Tourney, 8-0
Fifth-seeded San Diego State took the early lead in its matchup with No. 4 seed UNLV on Wednesday and did not relent, posting an 8-0 whitewash in the first round of the Mountain West Championship in Mesa, Ariz.
MESA, Ariz. – Fifth-seeded San Diego State took the early lead in its matchup with No. 4 seed UNLV on Wednesday and did not relent, posting an 8-0 whitewash in the first round of the 2025 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship at Sloan Park.
With the victory, the Aztecs (20-37) advance to the double-elimination bracket where they will face top-seeded Nevada on Thursday at 1:05 p.m. PT, while Rebels’ (31-23) season concludes.
Marko Sipila (4-3), who recently garnered second-team all-Mountain West accolades, tossed seven sinnings, offsetting three hits and two walks with six strikeouts to collect the win, while Peyton Rodgers pitched the final two frames to complete the second shutout of the season for the Scarlet and Black.
SDSU broke on top in the first when Finley Bates led off with a double to right-center and advanced on Jonathan Smith’s sacrifice before racing home on Nevan Noonan’s single through the left side.
Bates was the catalyst once again for the Aztecs in the third when he singled to the opposite field and moved up on Smith’s grounder before crossing the plate on Noonan’s second straight RBI single over the outstretched glove of Brendan O’Sullivan at second base.
SDSU caught a break in the fourth when Evan Sipe threaded a one-out single up the middle past a hesitant UNLV defense, allowing Xavier Farnum to slide home safely from second. Previously, Farnum drew a leadoff walk and advanced on Zane Kelly’s opposite field hit to left.
The Aztecs extended their lead to 4-0 in the sixth when Jake Jackson was issued a one-out walk and took third on Kelly’s single before crossing the dish on Sipe’s squeeze bunt that was mishandled at first.
The Rebels threatened in their half of the sixth after Cole Koniarsky and Connor Sheff reached on a pair of singles sandwiched around a flyout. Sipila struck out Dwight Allen II, but both runners moved up on a balk. Unfazed, the SDSU hurler fanned O’Sullivan on a 2-2 pitch to avoid trouble.
SDSU then plated four markers in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach, featuring Noonan’s sacrifice fly, Farnum’s RBI single and Kelly’s two-run double. The inning also included a Smith single and stolen base, a double by Daniel Arambula and a walk to Jackson.
Farnum and Kelly tied for game-high honors with three hits each, while Noonan (3 RBIs) and Bates finished with two apiece in the victory.
UNLV starter Carson Lane (6-4) absorbed the loss after yielding three runs on seven hits and one walk without a strikeout, while Allen led the Rebels with two hits in the defeat.
SERIES/TOURNAMENT NOTES
The Aztecs capture the season series from the Rebels four games to three.
SDSU moves to 106-70 in the all-time series vs. UNLV since 1978.
The Aztecs defeat the Rebels at the Mountain West Championship for the first time since 2018 and even their record against UNLV in the tournament at 11-11.
SDSU records its first shutout in MW Championship play since a 4-0 blanking of Fresno State in an elimination game on May 24, 2013, in Fresno, California.
The Aztecs’ whitewash was also the first shutout at the conference tournament since New Mexico defeated Nevada by a 3-0 count at home in Albuquerque on May 26, 2016.
UP NEXT
San Diego State will battle top-seeded Nevada in its first game of the double-elimination bracket on Thursday, May 22, at 1:05 p.m. MST/PDT. The Aztecs-Wolf Pack clash will air live on the Mountain West Network.