Box Score

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball team went deep three times in its 7-4 win over the Air Force Falcons in Mountain West play Sunday afternoon at Falcon Field. The Rebels (12-22, 6-9 MW) broke open a 2-all contest with a three-run fourth that was powered by back-to-back home runs from Justin Jones and Cody Howard while their pitching staff limited the host Falcons (14-16, 4-11 MW) to four runs in the series finale.

The Scarlet & Gray scattered 12 hits with nine of those coming from its 4-5-6-7 batters who combined for a .529 batting average (9-for-17) Sunday. Bryson Stott led the squad with three hits, two of which went for two bases, as well as in runs (three). The Rebels also got two hits apiece from Howard, Jones and Nick Ames, who led all with three RBI.

"The kids showed some character, which I've never doubted," said head coach Stan Stolte. "All four guys on the mound battled their tails off in super, tough conditions; the wind was straight out all day. Offensively, we did enough to get the job done. It was a great, overall team win."

UNLV got on the scoreboard first with help from a two-run homer from Ames that followed a two-out double by Stott.

Air Force drew even in the third off a two-run shot from Adam Groesbeck moments after Tevita Gerber (3-4) entered one batter into the inning in emergency relief of UNLV starter Garrett Poole, who took a comebacker off his pitching hand.

Gerber, who struck out five in the contest, settled down after the game-tying hit and wound up earning the win in 4.0 innings of relief. Meanwhile, the Rebel offense was able to regain the lead and add to it with help from a three-run fourth and two-run sixth.

UNLV pushed ahead for good off Jones and Howard's back-to-back blasts as well as consecutive doubles from Stott and Ames, the second of which resulted in a run. Stott and Ames factored in the sixth-inning offense, as well, as the pair scored off a two-out single by Kyle Isbel.

The Falcons were able to get a pair of runs back in sixth and eighth off a Tyler Jones' homer and a Russell Williams' RBI double, but that was as close as they'd get.

In all, Poole went 2.0 innings and only allowed two hits. Gerber, Blaze Bohall and Bryan Menendez combined to throw the final 7.0 innings and strikeout nine against four runs coming off of 11 hits.

Menendez was credited with the save -- his third of the season -- by throwing the final 1.2 innings to preserve the victory for Gerber.

UNLV will close out its lengthy stretch of playing 13 of 17 games on the road with another affair at Arizona State Tuesday night. First pitch is slated for 6:30 pm.

The Rebels will return to Las Vegas next weekend for a three-game, Conference series against San Diego State (Thursday, April 13 through Saturday, April 15). Two of the contests are being billed as "Polynesian Night" (Friday) and "Bark in the Park" (Saturday), and for more details check out UNLVRebels.com.

Fans can purchase tickets for $5 online and in advance at UNLVTickets.com. Tickets purchased at the Wilson Stadium box office are $8 for adults, $6 for senior/faculty/staff, while kids 12 and under as well as UNLV students are free.

NOTES: Ernie De La Trinidad and Ames extended their reached-base streak to 27 and 22 games, respectively ... Ames notched his 14th multiple-hit and ninth multiple-RBI games, simultaneously, Sunday ... Jones and Stott upped their multiple-hit game totals to 13 apiece ... UNLV improved to 10-5 when it scores six or more runs and 10-7 when it limits the opposition to five or less ... UNLV improved to 9-1 when it leads after both the seventh and eighth innings ... UNLV has homered three times in a game twice this season with the other instance occurring on April 1 at Iowa (game one).