Box Score

FULLERTON, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball team (16-22) fell behind early and was unable to muster any offense in Saturday night's 6-0 loss to the Cal State Fullerton Titans (24-13) at Goodwin Field. The Titans took advantage of three early walks that helped build a three-run lead.

The contest started well for the Rebels as they loaded the bases off a Kyle Isbel single and a pair of one-out walks issued to Payton Squier and Andrew Yazdanbakhsh. Unfortunately, CSF's John Gavin (2-2) was able to settle down and get out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout.

Including those final two outs in the first, Gavin was able to retire 14 of 15 Rebels through the fifth inning. UNLV did get two on base to start the sixth only to see the first batter (Nick Rodriguez) stranded at third base after Gavin induced a double play and a groundout. He tossed a scoreless seventh, and left the affair with his Titans leading 5-0.

"We had a great scoring opportunity in the top of the first and we didn't come through, whereas Fullerton produced in a similar situation in the bottom half of the inning," said head coach Stan Stolte. "Fullerton played the game tougher and with more baseball smarts that us and that's something we need to keep working on. Cody Roper came out of the bullpen and gave us a chance to get back in the game, but we just had too many bad at-bats to mount a threat."

CSF got things started quickly in the first inning when UNLV starter Kenny Oakley (4-4) walked its first two batters â€" Josh Vargas and Tanner Pinkston. A pair of RBI base hits from Timmy Richards (double) and Scott Hurst (single) produced the first two runs.

In the second, Tyler Steib manufactured a run when he reached a via a walk, stole second and then advanced to the final 180 feet off a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.

The Titans upped their lead to five runs off three straight singles and a sacrifice bunt. Coby Kauhaahaa and Steib had the first two hits, while Hank LoForte's single and Vargas' sac bunt plated the runs.

The contest remained a 5-0 affair until Jerrod Bravo hit a solo home run in the home half of the eighth.

Squier reached base all four times he stepped up to the plate. Besides his first-inning walk, he recorded three singles.

Gavin struck out five for the win. He surrendered three hits and walked three, as well. He gave way to Gavin Velasquez and Chad Hockin, who combined to pitch two innings of relief. Neither reliever allowed a run, while striking out three against one hit.

Oakley was tagged with the loss after he allowed five runs off of five hits. He threw 4.0 innings with three walks and two strikeouts.

Cody Roper threw the final 4.0 innings in relief for UNLV and was touched for one run off of two hits.

UNLV and Fullerton close out their three-game series at 1:00 pm Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field. The Rebels will send Dean Kremer (1-4, 5.19 ERA) to the mound, while the Titans will counter with Blake Quinn (4-2, 2.64 ERA).

Following Sunday's matinee against the Titans, the Scarlet & Gray will head 20 miles south to face the UC Irvine Anteaters Monday at 2:00 pm.