LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Rebels kicked off their nine-game homestand with a dramatic, come-from-behind victory – 6-5 – over the CSUN Matadors Tuesday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. UNLV (12-10) fell behind by as many as four runs on two occasions, but stayed within reach of CSUN (9-12) before the offense produced four runs off of four hits and a sacrifice fly to complete the rally.
 
The Scarlet & Gray's comeback had a bit of local flair attached to it, as all six batters that stepped up to the plate in the ninth hail from the Las Vegas Valley. Austin Pfeifer (Arbor View) and Jason Sharman (Desert Oasis) led off the frame recording back-to-back singles. Grant Robbins (Bishop Gorman) kept things going with a double down the right-field line to bring home one run. With runners on second and third, the Matadors chose to intentionally walk Bryson Stott (Desert Oasis) to load the bases for Dillon Johnson (Silverado) who hit a 3-1 offering from Cassius Hamm (2-1) in the air to right for a sacrifice fly. Moments after Johnson's productive out cut the deficit to one run, 5-4, Jack-Thomas Wold (Basic) delivered the game-winning hit, a two-run double to right field off the first pitch he saw from Hamm.
 
Wold was responsible for half of UNLV's six RBI, with the addition of an RBI single in the fifth to go along with his two-run double. For the game, he was 4-for-5 with three of the hits going for extra bases, as he manufactured two more doubles, one in the third and another in the eighth.
 
The Matadors opened the game with three runs in the first inning and added another in the second off Rebel starter Troy Balko. The Rebels got one run back in the second off an RBI single by Duke Pahukoa that scored Edarian Williams from third base after he led off the stanza with a triple.
 
CSUN regained a four-run lead with a tally in the fifth; however, UNLV answered back with Wold's RBI single.
 
The two sides remained separated by three runs from the sixth through the eighth until the Rebels' four-run outburst in the ninth.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME: Wold had a day to remember! He not only tied a career high with four hits, but added three RBI and ended the game in dramatic fashion with a two-run double.
 
STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV outhit CSUN by three, 13-10, with 10 different Rebels recording a hit in the game. Wold had four hits, while nine others had one apiece. Moreover, the Rebels sent three pinch-hitters to the plate and two of them produced hits, while Grant Robbins, who was a defensive replacement in the eighth, notched a hit in his one and only at-bat. 
 
QUOTABLE: "We finally started taking better at-bats the last half of the game," said head coach Stan Stolte. "We went 3.5 games just pressing and trying to do too much. We need for that to carry into the weekend. (Jack-Thomas) Wold was really seeing the ball well today and it worked out that he came up with the game on the line. (Troy) Balko continues to get better and gave us a chance after a shaky start."
 
REBEL NOTES:
- With the win, UNLV pulled one game closer to CSUN in the all-time series, and now trail 26-27.
- UNLV is now 6-5 in one-run games this season, with four of those occurring in succession – three at San Jose State and today.
- UNLV is now 8-2 in games it scores six or more runs.
- UNLV is now 9-3 in games it limits an opponent to five runs or less.
- UNLV is now 6-7 in games an opponent scores first, and 3-4 when an opponent scores in the first innings.
- UNLV is now 9-3 in games it outhits an opponent.
- UNLV's Casey Miller (1-0) recorded his win – his first as a Rebel – in 1.0 inning of relief, striking out one and walking one.
- Balko, UNLV's starting pitcher, threw the first 6.0 innings, striking out four against five runs (four earned) off of nine hits.
- UNLV reliever Paul Richy threw 2.0 innings and did not allow a run or a hit, while striking out two against one walk.
- CSUN's Hamm was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs off of four hits and one walk in 0.1 innings of relief.
- CSUN starter Blake Sodersten threw 4.2 innings, striking out six against two runs off of seven hits and one walk.
- With his help from one hit Tuesday, Johnson has produced a .393 batting average (22-for-56) with 22 hits in his last 13 outings. Moreover, he has at least one hit in 11 games of this stretch with eight of those resulting in multiple-hit displays.
 
UP NEXT: UNLV remains at Earl E. Wilson Stadium to continue its nine-game homestand with three against its intrastate rival, the UNR Wolf Pack, Friday through Sunday. Games one and two are both slated for 6:05 pm first pitches, while Sunday's finale will get going at 1:05 pm. Not only do these three contests count towards the Mountain West standings, but also the standings for the Silver State Series, the all-encompassing athletic and academic competition between UNLV and UNR, which is presented by IBEW and Nevada Donor Network.
 
UC Riverside (March 26-27) and New Mexico (March 29-31) will also travel to Southern Nevada to face the Rebels next week.
 
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.