LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball team was unable to tie the season-opening series against the Michigan State Spartans Sunday at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. The Rebels (1-3) came up short in the 11-7 loss to the Spartans (3-1) to close out the four-game, nonconference set. 

The Scarlet & Gray still holds the overall record against Michigan State leading only by one now, 7-6.

Michigan State jumped to an early lead grabbing four runs off of three hits at the top of the first, and grabbing one more in the second before the Rebels answered back with three runs off of three hits during the home half of the second, 5-3. Hank Zeisler's first career homer as a Rebel in the third put the Rebels down by only one run, 5-4. UNLV pulled ahead in the fifth after a homer from Cole Andavolgyi that also brought Zeisler in, followed by an RBI that took Edarian Williams in, putting the Rebels on top 7-5. 

The Spartans took the lead back in the eighth, scoring three runs off of five hits and pulling ahead 9-7. A homer and an RBI in the top of the ninth would seal the win for the Spartans. 

Peyton Fuller was handed the loss after going 2.1 innings and allowing four runs off of seven hits. 

Kyle Dunning (1-0) picked up the win in 3.0 innings of relief for Michigan State, striking out three and not allowing any hits or runs. Kyle Buschoff earned the save after going 2.0 frames, striking out three and not allowing any runs either. 

UP NEXT: The Rebels will hit the road for the next four games, starting at Dixie State Tuesday, February 22 with first pitch slated for 3:05 p.m. (PT).

-UNLV-