LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Rebels head back to the Golden State for three games in Mountain West play against the Fresno State Bulldogs in Fresno, California, at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium. The conference-opening series begins Friday evening with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 pm. Saturday's contest is also a night affair (6:05 pm), while Sunday's is an afternoon matinee (1:05 pm).
FS and UNLV were predicted to finish 3-4 in the MW Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs, who finished the 2018 campaign with a 30-24 overall record and fifth-place showing (13-17) in the conference standings, have won four straight to carry a 5-1 mark into this weekend's series. The Rebels, on the other hand, have lost three straight and sit 4-5 on the year after it went 35-24 last season with a fourth-place league finish (14-16).
Historically speaking, the Bulldogs own a 54-38 edge in the all-time head-to-head series that dates back to 1977. FS won the last meeting - 9-8 on May 19, 2018 - and has claimed two of the past three outings; however, UNLV has been victorious in five of the last seven.
FOLLOW ALONG: Fans can follow the three-game, Mountain West series between UNLV and Fresno State through live stats and Twitter (@UNLVbaseball). Additionally, all three games will be streamed live through the Mountain West Network. Links to both stats and the video stream can be found at UNLVRebels.com.
ON DECK: The UNLV Rebels return to Las Vegas and Earl E. Wilson Stadium for a six-game homestand beginning Tuesday evening (6:05 pm) against the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners. UNLV will also welcome the Bradley Braves to town for three games (March 8-10) and the Washington State Cougars for two more (March 12-13).
STOTT STARTS STRONG, ONCE AGAIN: UNLV's
Bryson Stott has made his presence felt at the plate and on the bases through nine games of action, thus far, this season. From the leadoff spot in the batting order, Stott is first on the team in average (.424), hits (14), home runs (four), total bases (34), slugging percentage (1.030), walks (10) and on-base percentage (.558). He shares the top spot in both doubles (four) and triples (two).
To date, the Las Vegas native is in the top 100 of 11 NCAA statistical categories, and sits third overall in both total bases and triples. Stott also ranks No. 8 in home runs and slugging percentage, No. 21 in walks and No. 35 in hits.
Through nine games, Stott is 14-for-33 at the plate with 71 percent of his hits - 10 of 14 - going for extra bases. He has registered a hit in eight contests, with multiple hits in five of those.
He began the year with a five-game hitting streak with at least one hit in all five affairs as well as three in game two versus Seattle (Feb. 16) and two more in the third tilt (Feb. 17). After going hitless last Saturday at Stanford (Game 1/Feb. 23), he has three straight two-hit outings, with five of his six hits going for extra bases - three home runs, one triple and one double.
Defensively, he is a perfect 1.000 in the field converting all 40 chances with 10 putouts and 30 assists.
NEWCOMERS MAKE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT: The UNLV Rebels' 2019 roster features 22 newcomers with 11 freshmen and 11 transfers; however, two of the transfers will not play this year due to injury (
Ryan McDonald) and
Haydn King (transfer restrictions).
Thirteen of those newcomers made their Rebel debuts in the season-opening, nonconference series against the Seattle Redhawks, while eight more made their way into the lineup - six as starters and two as pinch-hitters - for the first time in the midweek set versus UC Santa Barbara.
Delving deeper, nine of those first-year Rebels have had a minimum of two plate appearances, while 10 more have pitched in at least one game.
Freshmen
James Gamble and
Edarian Williams have appeared in all nine contests, as the former has started all nine in center field, while the latter has gotten eight starts at either second base or as the designated hitter.
Additionally, junior
Trevor Rosenberg (San Diego) has played in seven games, with six starts (all at second base), while freshmen
Duke Pahukoa and
Jacob Godman have seen action in six and five games, respectively.
On the mound, the Scarlet & Gray has gotten starts from four newcomers, as juniors
Cameron Jabara (Orange Coast College) and
Bradley Spooner (Saddleback College) have gotten the ball for the Friday and Saturday contests against Seattle and No. 5 Stanford, respectively. Freshmen
Troy Balko and
Ty Pohlmann started the midweek series against UC Santa Barbara, while the former got the start against Utah to a pair of relief appearances - Stanford and Utah - from the latter.
Senior
Jackson Cofer (Utah Valley) has played a key role in all four Rebel victories, with a win against Seattle (Feb. 16) followed by three saves (Feb. 17 vs. Seattle; Feb. 20 vs. UCSB; Feb. 23 at No. 5 Stanford).
Notable Newcomer Performances
-Jabara has started twice this season - both Friday outings - and has a 0.00 ERA to show for his 13.0 innings of work. Overall, he has struck out 10 - seven against Seattle - and only allowed one unearned run.
-Spooner has started twice this season - both Saturday outings - has a 5.79 ERA in 9.1 innings of work and a pair of no decisions. He gave up five runs off of seven hits to Seattle, but rebounded with one run off of two hits at No. 5 Stanford. He also struck out six Saturday against the Cardinal.
-Cofer has made five relief appearances and, as previously noted, has one win and three saves to show for his efforts. In his first 6.1 innings of work - prior to Tuesday's loss to Utah, he struck out five against no walks and allowed zero runs off of four hits. All three saves have been recorded by getting at least five outs.
-Thomason picked up the win in game three vs. Seattle (Feb. 17), tossing 2.0 innings with three strikeouts.
-Williams is hitting .394 with 13 hits (four doubles), 10 runs and seven RBI, and has recorded at least one hit and one run in eight straight games. He had four hits at Stanford (Feb. 24).
-Gamble is hitting .265 with nine hits (two doubles), three runs and one RBI, and had recorded at least one hit in seven straight games until the Utah game.
-Godman is hitting .333 with five hits (one triple), five RBI and one run. He has a pair of two-hit games: Feb. 16 vs. Seattle and Feb. 20 vs. UC Santa Barbara. He had four RBI vs. UCSB (Feb. 20).
PURCHASE TICKETS: Tickets are now on sale for the 2019 season. Season tickets are just $90 for adults (13 and older) and $75 for UNLV faculty, staff and alumni, and seniors (62-plus). Single-game ticket prices this season are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, faculty and staff seniors, and $4 for groups of 15 or more. Fans that purchase tickets online up to three hours prior to first pitch can get them for an advanced single-game price of $5.
All high school, middle school and elementary students are now free under UNLV's new admission policy. To receive free admission, high school students must present valid Nevada area school I.D. at the box office on gameday to receive one (1) complimentary ticket. All other students will receive a complimentary ticket at the box office (no I.D. required). Kids not yet elementary school age will continue to receive free admission for all UNLV Olympic sports.
