PHOENIX (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Rebels suffered a 9-2 loss to the No. 10 Arizona State Sun Devils Tuesday evening at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The Rebels fell into an early 4-0 hole after two innings of play, but cut their deficit in half with a two-run single by Bryson Stott in the fifth. Unfortunately, the host Sun Devils pulled away with five insurance runs between the sixth and eighth to even the season series at one game apiece.
 
The Scarlet & Gray (23-19) was only able to muster five hits off ASU pitching, with three of those hits as well as both runs coming off starter Erik Tolman. Blake Burzell (3-0) was the first reliever out of the bullpen for the Sun Devils (31-8), earning the win in 1.2 innings of work, allowing two hits.
 
Stott led the Rebels offensively with two hits; the second of which brought Vince Taormina and Jacob Godman home after they had initially reached base off a one-out walk and hit by pitch. James Gamble followed Godman's at-bat with a single of his own to load the bases for Stott.
 
ASU, on the other hand, had 10 hits, with Spencer Torkelson, Alika Williams and Gage Workman notching two apiece. Williams and Hunter Bishop were responsible for five of the team's eight RBI, as the former knocked in three to the latter's two. Trevor Hauver, Drew Swift and Torkelson scored two runs each in the victory.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME: Stott produced his fifth straight multiple-hit outing – and 21st of the year – with two hits against ASU, and was responsible for both Rebel runs. The shortstop now has a team-best 11 multiple-RBI games.
 
STAT OF THE GAME: The Rebel offense was limited to its lowest hit total – five – in its last 14 contests, and it marked only the fourth occurrence this season that UNLV had five or fewer hits in a game
 
QUOTABLE: "ASU has a lot of offensive fire power that makes you pay if you leave it out over the plate," said head coach Stan Stolte. "There's a reason they're 31-8 and ranked high. We had a chance when we made it a 4-2 game, but we couldn't hold them down."
  
REBEL NOTES:
- UNLV starter Troy Balko (1-3) suffered the loss, allowing four runs off of five hits and one walk in 1.2 innings.
- UNLV relievers Donavon McCrystal and Matthew Mitchell combined to throw 3.1 scoreless frames, striking out three against one hit and two walks.
- UNLV's bullpen surrendered 11 runs off of 11 hits and three walks in a combined 4.0 innings of relief.
- ASU's final three relievers – Brady Corrigan, Chaz Montoya and Sam Romero – threw a total of 3.0 innings and held UNLV hitless and scoreless, while striking out three.
- UNLV is 13-8 against nonconference competition this season and 10-11 against conference foes.
- With the loss, UNLV's four-game win streak against ASU was snapped, and moved the overall head-to-head series to 64-20-1 in the Sun Devils' favor.
- UNLV is now 1-6 when scoring two or fewer runs in a game.
- UNLV is now 2-7 when allowing an opponent to score nine or more runs in a game.
- UNLV is now 11-12 when allowing an opponent to score first, and 6-9 when an opponent scores in the first inning.
- UNLV is now 4-12 when it is outhit by an opponent.
- Smith extended his reached-base streak to 26 games, while Stott (18 games) and Gamble (14) kept theirs alive, too.
- Stott extended his hitting streak to 13 games; however, Dillon Johnson's run came to an end at 12.
- In his last 13 games, Stott is hitting .481 (26-for-54) with 11 extra-base hits (nine doubles and two homers) that has helped amass a .759 slugging percentage. With the combination of hits and 11 walks, he has a .569 on-base percentage. He's also scored 20 runs and knocked in 16 RBI.
- In his last five games – all of which were multiple-hit efforts, Stott is hitting .591 (13-for-22) with four extra-base hits (three doubles and one homer) that has help produce a .864 slugging percentage. He owns a .625 on-base percentage and has scored eight runs and knocked in seven RBI.
 
UP NEXT: UNLV returns to Las Vegas and Earl E. Wilson Stadium for a three-game, Mountain West series this weekend, beginning Friday, against the San Diego State Aztecs. The first two contests (Friday and Saturday) are slated to start at 6:05 pm, while Sunday's is scheduled 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.