LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball team knocked off the St. John's Red Storm for the second time in as many days, posting a 12-2 victory over the visitors from Queens, N.Y. The Rebels (5-10) tied season highs in runs (12), hits (14) and RBI (12) in the win, and limited the Red Storm (3-8) to only two runs off seven hits.
 
The Scarlet & Gray was paced by Eric Bigani's second straight 3-for-4 performance against St. John's. Bigani registered a hit in his first three at-bats and came around to score a run in each of those. He got the Rebel offensive started in the first inning by knocking in the team's first run and scoring the second. He also made is way around the bases in the third and fifth.
 
The trio of Austin Pfeifer, Grant Robbins and Edarian Williams combined for nine RBI, four runs and four hits. Each of the three had three RBI and a minimum of one hit and one run scored.
 
St. John's took an early 1-0 lead off a solo home run in the first by Mike Antico; however, the edge was short lived as UNLV countered with two in the first. The Rebels upped their lead to two runs, 3-1, in the third off a sacrifice fly by Williams.
 
The home team's advantage ballooned in the fifth when it put five straight batters on base with one out. Bigani got the offensive started with a one-out single that was followed by an RBI triple by Wiliams and an RBI single by Kryszczuk. Moments after Pfiefer was walked, Robbins unleashed a three-run homer to left to push the score to 8-1.
 
The Red Storm got a run back in the top of the seventh off an RBI single by Peter Abinanti, but the Rebels countered with a two-run homer by Pfeifer in the bottom half of the frame, and then got two more in the eighth to cap the scoring.
 
Chase Maddux got the win and improved to 1-0 on the year after throwing 6.2 innings. Maddux struck out two against two runs off six hits and one walk. Ty Pohlmann, Conner Woods and Bradley Spooner combined to throw the final 2.1 innings, striking out one with two walks and one hit.
 
St. John's Joe Joe Rodriguez (1-2) was on the hook for the loss, going only 4.0 innings. Rodriguez struck out two, but allowed three runs off five hits and four walks. The three Red Storm relievers that followed surrendered eight runs off nine hits.
 
QUOTABLE: "We had quite a few guys step up today," said head coach Stan Stolte. "It was great to see our offense keep adding on. When you keep padding the lead with Chase (Maddux) pitching, it makes it tough for an opponent to get back into the game. St. John's is a tough club. We were fortunate today, but we know tomorrow will be a test."
 
NOTES:
-UNLV's 12 hits and 12 RBI tied its season-best output from just one week ago against Creighton (March 1).
-UNLV's 14 runs tied its season-best output against Central Michigan (Feb. 16).
-UNLV had a season-high eight extra base hits (three doubles, three triples and two homers).
-In two games vs. St. John's, UNLV now has 12 extra base hits (seven doubles, three triples and two homers).
-UNLV had a season-high 29 total bases.
-With Saturday's result, UNLV takes a 3-1 lead over St. John's in the all-time head-to-head series.
-With is three hits, Bigani registered his team-high ninth multiple-hit of the year.
-Bigani is hitting .407 on the year following Saturday's result. In his last three games, he is 8-for-12 with five runs and three RBI.
 
UP NEXT: UNLV and St. John's close out their three-game, nonconference series Sunday with a 1:00 pm matinee at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The Rebels continue their homestand with a two-game, midweek series against Houston will follow Tuesday and Wednesday.