UNLV Game Notes | Air Force Game Notes | Watch Live

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -- UNLV baseball (16-23, 3-15 Mountain West) resumes its schedule with a three-game series against Air Force (19-20, 10-11 MW), which begins on Friday at 6:05 p.m. All three games will be broadcast live on UNLVRebels.com and Tony Cordasco will have handle the play-by-play duties. Former MLB pitcher Josh Towers and former Rebel Patrick Armstrong will provide analysis for the games. The Rebels recently dropped two of three to New Mexico, but was able to avoid a sweep by defeating the Lobos 3-2 in ten innings on Sunday. UNLV dropped its midweek contest at UC Riverside, falling to the Highlanders 8-6 in 11 innings.

SCOUTING THE REBELS
- UNLV baseball (16-23, 3-15 Mountain West) is coming off a series loss to New Mexico and a midweek loss at UC Riverside. The Rebels' lone win came on Sunday where the team won 3-2 in ten innings
- Earlier this month, The Rebels defeated No. 5 Arizona State 7-6. UNLV's win over the Sun Devils was the first time the team captured a victory over a top-five team since 2003, when it beat No. 3 Cal State Fullerton. It was also the Rebels first win against ASU since 2002.
- The Rebels opened the season with a series victory over No. 23 Nebraska, but dropped its series opener with the Huskers in front of a record 3,173 fans 2-0. UNLV defeated the Huskers 5-3 on Saturday and then recorded a shut out with a 3-0 win on Sunday.
- It was the first series win over a ranked team since 2014 when the Rebels swept No. 24 New Mexico. It was also the first time since the Rebels joined the Mountain West that they shut out a ranked team.
- Junior Kenny Oakley (2-4, 3.77 ERA) is slated to start on Friday against Air Force for UNLV. Sophomore D.J. Myers (2-2, 4.01 ERA) is the Rebels' probable starter for Saturday and Blaze Bohall (4-2, 3.38 ERA) is expected to start for the team on Sunday. Myers leads the team with 53 strikeouts in 60.2 innings of work.
- Senior Joey Lauria (3-2, 3.97 ERA) owns the best strikeout-to-walk ratio on the team as he has recorded 39 punch outs against only nine walks in 34.0 innings of work.
- The Rebels' bull pen has been anchored by two of the best closers in school history: juniors Zack Hartman and Brayden Torres. Hartman currently leads the team with three saves, while Torres has two saves this season.
- Senior Dylan Ellis leads the Rebels from the plate with a batting average of .356. Ellis, who has been a reserve for most of his career, has also had 11 games with multiple hits, which is tied for the third most on the team.
- Senior Erik VanMeetren leads the team with five home runs and is hitting .288 on the year with 21 RBI.
- Joey Armstrong leads the team with 17 multiple hit games and is hitting .325 on the year. He also has eight stolen bases, which is tied for a team-high with freshmen Austin Anderson and Payton Squier.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS
- Air Force (19-20, 10-11 Mountain West) comes into its series with UNLV having won four of its last five games. The Falcons defeated Utah Valley earlier this week and took two of three from Fresno State over the weekend. Last week the team defeated Northern Colorado 17-4.
- Adam Groesbeck leads the team with a .373 batting average and has recorded 18 stolen bases, which leads the conference.
- Noah Pierce is hitting .312 this season and has hit seven home runs and has driven in 38 runs this season, both of which lead the team.
- Tyler Jones (.353), Bradley Haslam (.325) and Spencer Draws (.311) are also hitting over .300 this season.
- Griffin Jax (3-6, 3.58 ERA) is projected to get the start on Friday, while Jacob DeVries (4-5, 6.18 ERA) is expected to start on Saturday and Trent Monaghan (4-3, 2.62 ERA) is probable for Sunday's game. DeVries leads the team with 54 strikeouts in 55.1 innings of work.

UNLV - AIR FORCE SERIES HISTORY
The Rebels and Falcons have met a total 116 times and UNLV leads the series 88-28. The Rebels lost two of three in Colorado Springs, Colo. earlier this year, but have won 12 straight over Air Force when playing in Las Vegas. The Falcons have not won against the Rebels at Earl E. Wilson Stadium since 2009.

ON DECK
After its series with Air Force, UNLV will look to avenge some earlier losses this season against UC Riverside and San Diego State. The Rebels will host the Highlanders for a midweek game on Tuesday. UNLV fell to UCR 8-6 in 11 innings last week. Following its game against the Highlanders, the Rebels will travel to face the Aztecs for a three-game series. Earlier this season, UNLV was swept at home by SDSU.