LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV Rebels suffered a 16-5 loss to the Fresno State Bulldogs in Mountain West play at Earl E. Wilson Stadium Friday night. The Bulldogs staked themselves to a five-run lead before the Rebels were finally able to get on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the third. The visitors from the San Joaquin Valley managed to extend their advantage to six, 7-1, with two tallies in the fourth before outscoring UNLV by five, 9-4, the remainder of the contest.
 
The victory upped Fresno State's overall record to 34-14-1 and its conference-leading mark to 19-8-1; meanwhile, UNLV sits 27-26 on the year and 14-15 in league play following the loss.
 
The Scarlet & Gray notched 13 hits in affair; however, its offense only produced four RBI from four different players. James Gamble led the team with three hits and one RBI. Both Grant Robbins and Bryson Stott had two hits and one RBI, while the former also scored once. Seth Mullis, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, scored twice and had one hit.
 
The Bulldogs, who had a total of 17 hits, were paced by their 1-2-3 batters with the trio combining for five hits, five RBI and eight runs. JT Arruda alone went 3-for-3 with five RBI and three runs, with a first-inning three-run homer and a pair of RBI singles in the second and sixth. Zach Ashford, who had two hits in the leadoff spot, scored three runs and two of those were a result of Arruda's hitting.
 
Fresno State also got three RBI apiece from McCarthy Tatum and Zach Presno; the former had an RBI single in the second and a two-run double, while the latter capped off a six-run sixth with a three-run homer.
 
REBEL OF THE GAME: Robbins was involved in two of UNLV's five runs, scoring the team's first tally in the third and knocking in a run with an RBI single in the sixth.
 
STAT OF THE GAME: The teams combined for a total of 30 hits with 19 different players credited with at least one base knock. The Bulldogs got hits from eight starters and four substitutes. The Rebels, on the other hand, had seven starters and two subs register hits.
 
QUOTABLE: "Fresno State is really dialed in and we aren't, which is not a good combination," said head coach Stan Stolte. "They punched us in the mouth in the top of the first and we never got off the mat. I expect us to bounce back tomorrow and compete with a lot at stake."
 
CONFERENCE WATCH: The fourth and final spot of the MW Championship will be decided Saturday afternoon with UNLV hosting Fresno State and San Jose State playing at Air Force. The Rebels (14-15) lead the Spartans (13-16) by one game. UNR (14-16) secured a berth into next week's conference tournament Friday with SJSU's loss at Air Force, and joined FS (19-8-1) and San Diego State (16-12).
 
Saturday's Scenarios
- UNLV will earn a berth into the MW tourney with a win or a SJSU loss.
- SJSU will earn a berth into the MW tourney with a win and a UNLV loss; creating a three-way tie between itself, UNLV and UNR, advancing off a tie breaker.
 
REBEL NOTES:
- Fresno State's Davis Moore (8-10) picked up the win in 5.0 innings, striking out three against one run off of six hits and one walk.
- UNLV's Cameron Jabara (2-6) suffered the loss in 5.0 innings, striking out four against seven runs (six earned) off seven hits and two walks.
- UNLV is 14-15 versus conference competition and 13-11 against nonconference foes.
- UNLV is 19-11 in home games and 8-15 in road games this season.
- UNLV sits 14-15 in day games, and sits 13-11 in night games.
- UNLV sits 8-11 in games separated by five or more runs.
- UNLV sits 8-21 in games it scores five or fewer runs.
- UNLV sits 1-9 when it allowed 10 or more runs.
- UNLV sits 5-17 when it is outhit by an opponent.
- Bryson Stott: In his last 24 games, which included a 14-game hit streak that began against New Mexico (March 31), he has produced a .438 batting average (42-for-96) with 16 extra-base hits (11 doubles and five homers) that has helped amass a .708 slugging percentage. With the combination of hits and 18 walks, Stott has a .526 on-base percentage. He's also scored 32 runs and knocked in 22.
- Edarian Williams: In his last 27 games – beginning with UC Riverside (March 26), he has produced a .363 batting average (41-for-113) with six extra-base hits (all doubles) that has produced a .416 slugging percentage. Williams also has a .411 on-base percentage with help from nine walks. He has also knocked in 17 RBI and scored 10 times.
 
UP NEXT: UNLV and Fresno State return to Earl E. Wilson Stadium for the third and final game of the MW series Saturday afternoon (1:05 pm), with the baseball program recognizing the seven outgoing seniors playing their final home games as Rebels.
 
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.