LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Rebels led by one run, 3-2, through three innings of play, but were unable to maintain that slight advantage as the San Jose State Spartans scored the final five runs of the contest to claim the Mountain West series opener 7-3 Friday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
 
The visitors from the Bay Area improved to 18-16 on the year and 12-4 in the MW, while UNLV had its three-game win streak snapped with the loss and, subsequently, saw its record move to 20-16 overall and 7-9 in league play.
 
The Rebels were paced offensively by two hits apiece from Dillon Johnson, Bryson Stott and Edarian Williams. With the addition of Max Smith and Austin Pfeifer efforts, UNLV's top five batters combined to produce seven of the team's eight hits, all three runs and two of three credited RBI.
 
UNLV gave up two runs in the top of the first, but got one score back with an RBI single by Williams, who knocked Stott home from second base after he had initially reached with a double. The Rebels pulled ahead in the third with runs off an RBI single from Pfeifer and a groundout by Duke Pahukoa; Johnson and Smith scored after making their way on off a single and a walk, respectively.
 
The Spartans drew even with a run in the sixth off a two-out RBI single from Nico Malbrough, and took the lead in the seventh off a two-run double by Blake Berry. James Shimashita and Kellen Strahm added insurance tallies in the sixth and ninth, respectively, with a sacrifice fly and a solo homer.
 
TURNING POINT: Moments after seeing the affair knotted at 3-all after the Spartans scored a run in the top of the sixth, UNLV looked like it was going to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the frame. The Rebels got a one-out walk to Johnson and a two-out double from Stott, but a strikeout ended the scoring chance and inning. SJSU was able to carry that momentum over into its next at-bat, scoring three in the seventh and putting some distance between the two squads.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME: Williams went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI; however, he was instrumental defensively, as well. The second baseman was perfect in the field in five chances, collecting three putouts and two assists. He started both double plays the Rebels turned in the contest and made a diving grab of a line drive ticketed for right-center field.
 
STAT OF THE GAME: SJSU was able to produce with runners on base, as its offense recorded seven hits (.368/7-for-19) with runners on base and also had six two-out hits (.429/6-for-14). The Spartans' first three runs came in the first and sixth after two batters had already been retired, with a walk followed by two hits in both situations. UNLV, on the other hand, was unable to match its guest's output, as the Rebel offense was 4-for-21 (.190) with runners on and 1-for-9 (.111) with two outs.
 
STAT OF THE GAME, PART TWO: The teams combined to strand 19 runners in the game, with UNLV leaving one more on than SJSU, 10-9. Seven of UNLV's 10 were left in scoring position, including three at third base. SJSU, on the other hand, was able to have all seven of its runners that made their way to third base to score, while nine were left on, and only three of those were in scoring position at second base.
 
QUOTABLE: "San Jose State did what teams that want to win a championship do," said head coach Stan Stolte. "They clearly outplayed us from the sixth through the ninth. Their bullpen out pitched our bullpen and they took better at-bats."
  
REBEL NOTES:
- SJSU's Andrew Mitchel (3-4) earned the win after throwing 6.0 innings and a total of 118 pitches. Mitchel struck out nine and allowed three runs off of seven hits and five walks.
- SJSU relievers Nicholas Morales and Fineas Del Bonta-Smith combined to throw the final 3.0 innings and only surrendered one hit and one walk against three strikeouts.
- Jabara earned a no decision after allowing two runs off of seven hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
- UNLV reliever Bradley Spooner (1-2) suffered the loss after giving up four runs off of five hits and one walk in 1.0 inning of work.
- UNLV relievers Paul Richy, Matthew Mitchell and Conner Woods combined to throw 3.0 innings, striking out four against one run, one hit and one walk.
- UNLV is 13-7 against nonconference competition this season; however, the Rebels are 7-9 against conference foes.
- UNLV leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1975, 42-33, but SJSU has won 10 of the last 14 since the 2017 campaign. The Spartans have won all four meetings, thus far, in 2019.
- UNLV is 2-6 when scoring three or fewer runs.
- UNLV is 17-11 when allowing seven or fewer runs.
- UNLV is 6-5 when scoring in the first inning.
- UNLV is 5-7 when an opponent scores first and 9-10 when an opponent scores in the first inning.
- UNLV is 3-10 when it is outhit by an opponent.
- Friday's contest was only the second instance UNLV did not register double-digit hits in its last 14 games.
- UNLV had three players register multiple-hit games: Stott (16th), Johnson (16th) and Williams (13th).
- Williams and Smith extended their reached-base streaks to 34 and 20 games, respectively.
- Williams is hitting .362 (21-for-58) over his last 14 games – which consists of five- and eight-game hitting streaks – with at least one hit in 13 of the contests, and eight runs and eight RBI. Additionally, he has multiple-hit efforts in seven of those contests.
- Stott is hitting .444 and slugging .778 over his last seven games, with 12 hits – seven of which have gone for extra bases (six doubles and one homer) in his last 27 at-bats, 12 runs and nine RBI. Delving deeper, he's also been walked nine times in this stretch to aid in a .583 on-base percentage.
 
UP NEXT: UNLV and SJSU return to Earl E. Wilson Stadium for the second game of their MW series Saturday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 pm. Sunday's finale is slated for 1:05 pm.
  
PURCHASE TICKETS: 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.