LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Rebels completed their two-game, midweek series sweep of the UC Riverside Highlanders Wednesday with a 12-7, come-from-behind victory. The Rebels fell behind by three runs on two different occasions before they outscored the visitors from the Big West Conference by seven runs – 11-4 – over the fifth through seventh innings.
 
The Scarlet & Gray improved to 16-11 on the year with the win, its second straight over the Highlanders after it trailed by three- and four-runs in game one Tuesday. Delving deeper, the Rebels upped their mark against Big West competition to 4-1, with two wins against UCR (7-15).
 
The Highlanders pushed out to a 4-1 lead through 4.5 innings of play with help from four extra-base hits: solo home runs in the second and third, an RBI triple in the fourth and an RBI double in the fifth.
 
Max Smith played a key role in sparking the team's comeback when he scored a run off a sacrifice fly by Vince Taormina in the fourth and then smashed a three-run home run in the fifth to pull the Rebels even at 4-all.
 
The game turned in UNLV's favor in the sixth when the squad erupted for four runs off of four hits to stake itself to an 8-4 lead. After loading the bases, the Rebels got four straight run-producing at-bats from Dillon Johnson (RBI single), Jack-Thomas Wold (sac fly), Duke Pahukoa (RBI single) and Smith (RBI single).
 
UCR's offense awoke in the seventh to pull within one, 8-7, after a sac fly and a two-run double, but UNLV countered with four runs of its own. Trevor Rosenberg stepped up to the plate with two on and promptly brought both home with a two-run double, and later scored off a sac fly by Bryson Stott. Wold capped the game's scoring with a solo homer to center.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME: Smith concluded the game with three hits in five at-bats with four RBI and two runs scored. He was a factor in the Rebels' first four scores and the added another run later in the affair.
 
STAT OF THE GAME: UCR had a total of 12 hits in the game with eight of those going for extra bases. The Highlanders notched five doubles, two homers and one triple; however, only four of those hits were of the run-scoring variety. A two-run double in the seventh was the only extra-base hit that resulted in more than one run. UNLV, on the other hand, had four extra-base hits with two doubles and two homers, and those coupled for half of the team's 12 runs.
 
QUOTABLE: "We executed much better offensively today and had some big hits in RBI situations," said head coach Stan Stolte. "Our bullpen did a good enough job for us in tough conditions, and I'm just glad to get the win. They aren't easy."
  
REBEL NOTES:
- UNLV has now won four straight and seven of the last eight meetings with UCR, and pulled within three games in the all-time series, as the latter leads it 24-21.
- UNLV is now 13-5 in home games, and has won five of six on this current home stand. Going back further, the team has won eight of its last nine and 10 of its last 12 at Earl E. The Rebels began the year 4-3 at home.
- UNLV is now 12-3 in games it scores six or more runs, and 5-0 when it scores 10 or more.
- UNLV is now 14-8 when it allows an opponent to score at least seven runs.
- UNLV is now 8-7 in games it allows an opponent to score first, and 5-4 when an opponent scores in the first inning.
- UNLV is now 2-2 when hits are tied, with both wins coming in the midweek series against UCR.
- UNLV has registered double-digit hits in six straight games and 17 of its last 20; the team had only posted double figures in hits twice in the first seven contests.
- UNLV's Matthew Mitchell (2-0) notched win in 1.0 inning of scoreless relief. Mitchell entered the contest in the sixth with the score tied at 4-all; he allowed one hit and struck out one.
- UCR's Alec Arnone (1-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up seven runs (four earned) off of five hits and one walk.
- UNLV got multiple-hit outings from Smith (11th) and Pahukoa (third).
- UNLV got multiple-RBI games from Smith (eighth), Wold (sixth) and Rosenberg (first).
- Johnson extended his season-best, reached-base streak to 20 games. This stretch dates back to the Rebels' game at Stanford on Feb. 24. His teammate, Edarian Williams, had Wednesday off, and his streak is still alive at 25 games. Williams' stretch began with game two of the season – a Feb. 16 tilt against Seattle.
- Smith is hitting .393 (11-for-28) in his last seven games, with a hit in each contest to go along with 17 RBI and eight runs.
- Johnson is hitting .427 (32-for-75) in his last 18 games, and has bumped his seasonal average by 158 points to .352. He has at least one hit in 16 of these games with 10 of those resulting in multiple-hit efforts.
- Wold is hitting .533 (16-for-30) in his last seven games, with eight extra-base hits (seven doubles and one homer) that has helped produce a staggering .867 slugging percentage and .571 on-base percentage. Additionally, he's notched 11 RBI and eight runs.
- Going back even further with Wold: In his last 15 games, he is hitting .452 (28-for-62) with 11 extra-base hits (eight doubles and three homers), 20 RBI and 15 runs.
 
UP NEXT: UNLV wraps up its nine-game homestand with a visit from the New Mexico Lobos this weekend. The Rebels and Lobos will square off Friday night at 6:05 pm to open the three-game, Mountain West series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. Games two and three are slated for 6:05 pm and 1:05 pm, respectively.
 
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.