LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball program (5-1) will venture away from Earl E. Wilson Stadium for the first time in 2021 with a weekend trip to Southern California to face the San Diego State Aztecs (7-3) at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Rebels and Aztecs open their Mountain West series with a doubleheader Saturday and conclude it with a single contest Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm both days.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow this weekend's three-game, Mountain West series between UNLV and SDSU through live stats and live video, and links to both can be found online at UNLVRebels.com in the "schedule" section of the team's baseball page. Additionally, fans can follow the team's Twitter account – @UNLVbaseball – for links to stats and video as well as inning-by-inning updates.
 
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
With this week's three-game, Mountain West set, UNLV and SDSU rekindle a series that dates back to 1978. The two teams have played a total of 159 times, with the Aztecs leading the head-to-head series by 33 games – 96-63; however, the Rebels have won three straight.
 
The Rebels and Aztecs did not play each other during the pandemic shortened 2020 season, but played a total of four times in 2019 in the Silver State. SDSU and UNLV met three times in Las Vegas and Earl E. Wilson Stadium, with the Aztecs winning game one, 11-4, and the Rebels taking games two, 5-4, and three, 5-1, to take the series. The two met, once more, in Reno at the MW Tournament, with UNLV upsetting SDSU, 9-3, in the first round.
 
ON DECK
UNLV stays out on the road with a single game against the No. 18 Arizona State Sun Devils at Phoenix Municipal Stadium Tuesday in Phoenix. First pitch between the Rebels and Sun Devils is scheduled for 12:05 pm MT.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UNLV swept the New Mexico Lobos in the three-game, two-day Mountain West series last weekend at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The Rebels outscored the Lobos by 21 runs, 33-12, claiming Saturday's doubleheader, 24-7 (in seven innings) and 8-5, before taking Sunday's finale in 11 innings, 1-0.
 
The Scarlet & Gray registered a .337 batting average with 35 hits in 104 at-bats, scored 33 runs and knocked in 31 RBI. More impressively, UNLV posted a .663 slugging percentage behind 16 extra-base hits, nine home runs and seven doubles. In addition to the 35 hits, the Rebels also had 14 walks and had four hit-by-pitches to accumulate a .434 on-base percentage.
 
All nine batters in the lineup had a minimum of three hits, with Jack-Thomas Wold pacing the squad with eight hits and a .571 batting average (8-for-14), with two doubles and one home run to go along with five RBI and four runs. Austin Kryszczuk batted .429 (3-for-7) with one homer and one double with five RBI and four runs. Diego Alarcon had five hits and a .417 average (5-for-2) with two doubles, two RBI and two runs. Brendan Brooks, who hit .375 (3-for-8) against the Lobos, had team highs in runs (six), homers (three), RBI (seven) and slugging percentage (1.500).
 
On the mound, the Rebel hurlers notched a 3.33 ERA in 27.0 innings of work, and held the Lobo bats to a .269 batting average and 28 hits. Chase Maddux picked up the win in the series opener, going 5.0 innings. Relievers Jimmy Gamboa and Troy Balko threw 3.0 innings in game two and 2.0 innings in game three for the wins, respectively.
 
HOT HITTING
For the year, UNLV is batting .296 as a team and has 61 hits, 25 of which have gone for extra bases with 14 doubles, 10 home runs and one triple. With help from those hits, especially the extra-base ones, the Rebels have notched .519 slugging percentage. Moreover, the hits as well as 23 walks and five hit-by-pitches have helped the team to a .379 on-base percentage.
 
UNLV has six players hitting .280 or better with a minimum of five hits. Jack-Thomas Wold sits first with his .480 average with 12 hits in 25 at-bats, while Diego Alarcon (.385/10-for-26), Austin Kryszczuk (.357/5-for-14), Brendan Brooks (.350/7-for-20) and Eric Bigani (.318/7-for-22) are hitting .300 or better.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
>San Diego State: The Aztecs enter the fourth week of the 2021 season sporting a 7-3 overall record and a 2-1 mark in Mountain West play … The Aztecs began the season playing their first seven games against the San Diego Toreros and UC San Diego Tritons, going 5-2 overall with a 3-1 mark at home at Tony Gwynn Stadium … The Aztecs stayed home last weekend to host the Fresno State Bulldogs, winning two of three to open their MW schedule … The Aztecs are paced offensively by three-time MW Player of the Week Jaden Fein who is hitting .587 on the year with 27 hits, 21 RBI and 13 runs scored … The Aztecs have eight players batting .289 or higher with a minimum of 13 hits … The Aztecs' pitching staff owns a 5.30 ERA in 90.0 innings of work, with Joseph Ingrassia and Troy Melton sitting 2-0 with 0.00 ERA and 3.31 ERA, respectively …The Aztecs were picked to win the MW by the conference's coaches … The Aztecs' Fein, Melton and Matt Rudick (CF) were selected to the 2021 MW Preseason All-MW Team … The Aztecs went 10-6 in the pandemic shortened 2020 campaign … The Aztecs placed Casey Schmitt, Melton and Rudick on the 2020 MW All-Conference Team.