Box Score

SAN JOSE, California (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball team (5-7 overall, 1-2 Mountain West) scored early and often in the first inning of Sunday's rubber game against the San Jose State Spartans (5-5, 2-1); however, its offense went cold the remainder of the contest. The host Spartans fought back into the affair with a three-run fourth that was followed by another three runs in the fifth. SJSU added an insurance run in the seventh and two more in the eighth to cap its 9-5, come-from-behind win.

First pitch of the game was postponed nearly an hour â€" 1:00 pm to 2:08 pm â€" due to rain that had fallen overnight and early Sunday morning. Once the field was made playable, the Rebel offense went to work.

Kyle Isbel got things started with a leadoff double off a 3-2 offering from SJSU starter Graham Gomez. Isbel quickly made his way around the bases with help from Bryson Stott and Payton Squier, who had a groundout and an RBI single. Following a strikeout and Nick Rodriguez getting hit by a pitch, Ernie De La Trinidad cranked a three-run home run to up the Rebels' haul to four. Justin Jones kept the offense revving with a double that capped Gomez's day on the mound. Cameron Keup entered in relief, but was unkindly welcomed to the game by Cody Howard who notched a one-run single push across the team's fifth run.

Moments before the start of the home half of the first, the game was halted by rain and hail. Once play resumed, UNLV starter Garrett Poole was touched for a pair of singles. Poole was able to counter those hits by picking off the runner at second base and then inducing a 6-4-3 ground ball double play.

Poole carried over that momentum facing the minimum in both the second and third innings, as four of the outs were off ground balls.

SJSU began its comeback against Poole in the fourth with help from a leadoff walk issued to Aaron Pleschner and a one-out two-run home run give up to Shane Timmons. The Spartans followed Timmons' big hit with a walk and a pair of singles before Chris Williams knocked in a run off a groundout.

Poole went back out to the mound in the fifth, but he didn't complete the frame. After getting a groundout and allowing a pair of singles, Tevita Gerber (0-3) was summoned from the bullpen. Unfortunately, Gerber walked Timmons to load the bases and then surrendered a three-run triple to Joseph Stefanki that gave the Spartans a one-run lead at 6-5.

"We can't win only getting two hits in the last eight innings," said head coach Stan Stolte. "Offensively, we totally shut down and then allowed San Jose State to outplay us in all phases of the game over the last six innings."

SJSU was able to use some miscues by UNLV's defense in the seventh and RBI singles from Josh Nashed and Pleschner in the eighth to put three more runs on the scoreboard against Gerber.

Josh Goldberg (2-0), the fourth of six relievers used by SJSU Sunday, earned the win in 2.0 innings of relief. Goldberg struck out three and allowed only one hit in his outing.

After Gomez's rough start â€" 0.2 innings pitched, four hits and five runs â€" the Spartans' bullpen held the Rebels scoreless and only gave up three hits in its 8.1 innings.

Gerber was on the hook for the loss in 3.0 innings of relief. He allowed four runs (three earned) off of four hits and two walks.

Poole tossed the first 4.1 innings for UNLV and was roughed up for five runs off of seven hits and two walks.

The Scarlet & Gray will stay in the Bay Area for a non-conference tilt in Moraga against Saint Mary's. First pitch is slated for 2:00 pm.

UNLV is back home March 10-12 for three conference games against Air Force. A two-game, midweek set against Grand Canyon will follow March 14-15.

Tickets can be purchased online and in-advance for $5 at UNLVTickets.com. Tickets purchased at the gate are $8 for adults, $6 for senior/faculty/staff, while kids 12 and under as well as UNLV students are free of charge.

NOTES: Stott had hit safely in all 11 of UNLV's games prior to Sunday's 0-for-2 day at the plate … Ames had hit safely in 10 straight, as well, but saw his streak come to a close Sunday … Three Rebels â€" Stott, Isbel and Squier â€" have all reached base safely in all 12 contests â€" Stott's streak continued with a pair of walks Sunday.