Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball team (9-17, 3-8 Mountain West) outhit the New Mexico Lobos (19-8, 8-3 MW) Saturday, but was on the wrong end of the 10-5 decision at Santa Ana Star Field. UNLV erased an early one-run deficit with a pair of scores in its half of the third inning only to see UNM answer with five in the bottom half of the frame. The Lobos outscored the Rebels by one run, 4-3, the remainder of the affair en route to their five-run victory.

The Scarlet & Gray was paced offensively by three hits from Nick Ames and two apiece from Kyle Isbel, A.J. VanMeetren and Cooper Esmay. Austin Anderson knocked in two RBI, while Isbel scored twice.

Despite its offense outhitting the host Lobos, UNLV was hampered by its inability to capitalize with runners on base. The Rebels left 10 on base, six of which were in scoring position (four at third and two at second). UNM, on the other hand, only stranded five runners.

The Lobos got on the scoreboard first with a two-out, solo home run from Chris DeVito off of UNLV starter Cody Roper (0-1).

The Rebels took its only lead of the contest in the third when they put two on and got an RBI groundout from Payton Squier and a ground-rule double from Ames. Esmay led off with a walk and moved to second base when Isbel reached after UNM's second baseman, Jared Holley, committed an error. Both runners moved into scoring position off a sacrifice bunt by Anderson. Squier and Ames followed with their run-scoring at-bats.

UNM countered with five runs off of three hits in the bottom of the third to reclaim the lead. The Cherry & Silver got a pair of two-run doubles from DeVito and Jack Zoellner for four of the runs, while Erick Migueles had a sacrifice fly.

The teams scored once apiece in the fifth. UNLV's run came off an RBI single by Anderson after Isbel notched a ground-rule double. UNM pushed its run across with a solo homer by Zoellner.

Both teams managed to score in the sixth; however, the host Lobos took advantage of their opportunity with runners on base. UNLV loaded the bases off a throwing error on a ball Vince Taormina put into play and singles by Esmay and Isbel. Anderson wound up walking on six pitches to bring Taormina home for a run. UNM got its first two runners on via a walk and single before Holley laced a two-run double to right-center field and DeVito drilled an RBI double down the right-field line.

Between the seventh and ninth innings only one run was scored and it came on a grounder put in play by Anderson.

"They hit with runners in scoring position whereas we did not, and it was the difference in the ball game," said head coach Stan Stolte. "We left 10 guys on, while they only left five. Every time we scored they answered."

UNM's Tyler Stevens improved to 4-2 on the year after he tossed six innings Saturday. Stevens allowed four runs, only one of which was earned, off of six hits. He struck out four, but allowed eight hits and two walks. He gave way to teammate Alex Estrella who was credited with a save in three innings of relief. Estrella surrendered one run off of four hits.

Roper was tagged with the loss after he was roughed up for seven runs off of six hits and four walks in 4.2 innings. He did strike out five. Corey Wilson and Ryan Hare combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings of the game. The former allowed three runs off of three hits, while the latter kept the Lobos off the scoreboard.

UNLV and UNM close out their three-game, Mountain West series at Santa Ana Star Field Sunday at 1:00 pm MT (noon PT). The Rebels will send Kenny Oakley (2-3, 3.63 ERA) to the mound against the Lobos' Colton Thomson (3-1, 2.93 ERA).

NOTES: Isbel extended his season-best hitting streak to 10 games with help from his two-hit effort ... Isbel has tied Squier for the longest individual hitting streak this season ... Isbel has become the third Rebel to register a reached base streak that has spanned 10 or more games; Squier's went 18 games, while Nick Rodriguez's was 10 ... Ames has two multiple-hit games this season; had a five-hit game versus Ohio State.