Box Score

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball team (22-27 overall, 12-13 Mountain West) stayed within striking distance of the Fresno State Bulldogs (34-17, 20-8 MW) through four innings Friday night until a five-run outburst in the fifth put too much distance between the two Mountain West squads. The Bulldogs, ultimately, tacked on three more runs to claim the first game of the weekend series by a final score of 9-1.

The visitors from the San Joaquin Valley scored their first run in the second with help from a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt. Austin Guibor and Kevin Viers started the frame with back-to-back singles off of UNLV starter D.J. Myers (5-3) to put runners on the corners. Jesse Medrano followed the base hits with a sacrifice bunt that allowed Guibor to score with ease from third base.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to six, 6-0, in the fifth with a trio of run-scoring hits. Nick Warren (walk) and Zach Ashford (single) reached after Myers had retired the first batter of the stanza. FS then got â€" in succession â€" an RBI single from Scott Silva, a two-run triple from Jake Stone and a two-run home run from Aaron Arruda.

"That was a disappointing game," said head coach Stan Stolte. "As tough as we played versus New Mexico last weekend, we were soft tonight. When you play a (Mike) Batesole coached team, you better be ready to play. They punched us in the mouth in the fifth inning and we stayed on the mat. Their pitcher (Ricky Tyler Thomas) was 0-1 all night and just toyed with us. We get another chance to do things right tomorrow with some toughness, and that's what I expect to see."

The Rebels summoned Blaze Bohall from the bullpen to pitch the seventh, but he was touched for two runs off a home run by Stone. Silva scored on the hit after he had reached on a one-out single.

The teams scored once apiece in the ninth. Arruda was credited with an RBI single in the Bulldogs' half of the inning while Max Smith and Cody Howard teamed up to push one across for the Rebels. Smith entered the affair as a pinch hitter and led off with a triple to the gap in right-center field. Howard knocked him home with a grounder to short.

FS's Ricky Tyler Thomas (8-4) picked up the victory in seven innings of scoreless work. Thomas struck out seven against seven hits and two walks. During his stint on the mound, he forced the Rebels to strand seven runners, five of which were in scoring position.

In all, UNLV left 10 runners on the base paths â€" four at second base, three at third and three at first.

Mark Reece tossed the final two innings for FS, but he allowed one run off of two hits. Reece struck out two against zero walks.

Myers was saddled with the loss after going six innings for UNLV. He struck out five; however, he was touched for six runs off of eight hits and one walk.

Bohall and Tevita Gerber combined to throw the final three innings. The former allowed two runs off of two hits while the latter gave up one run off of three hits.

UNLV and FS return to Earl E. Wilson Stadium for game two Saturday at 2:05 pm. The Rebels will send Kenny Oakley (4-6, 3.95 ERA) against the Bulldogs' Jimmy Lambert (9-0, 2.30 ERA). The day has been billed as a Smoken' Saturday where fans can purchase a hot dog, soda and ticket for a total price of $8. The deal is only available online at UNLVTickets.com and must be purchased before midnight Friday (May 13).