COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader against the Air Force Falcons, winning the first game 10-8 and then dropping the second 17-5 at Falcon Baseball Field.
The Rebels (8-16, 4-7 MW) and the Falcons (11-17, 5-6 MW) will return to the diamond Sunday to close out the three-game Mountain West series, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. (PT).
TOP REBEL PERFORMERS: Alex Pimentel went 2-for-2 at the plate, including a RBI triple, with a run scored and a total of three RBIs in game one.
Jason Sharman went 1-for-2 at the plate with a RBI triple of his own and one run scored during game two.
GAME ONE RECAP: UNLV jumped out to a three-run lead in the top of the first inning after a RBI double from Jacob Sharp, a RBI single from Edarian Williams and a run walked in. The Falcons answered back in the bottom of the inning with a RBI single and a sacrifice fly to bring them within one. Air Force pulled ahead in the bottom of the second inning after a two-run double from Blake Covin, a RBI single from Sam Kulasingam and a RBI triple from Jake Greiving. The Scarlet & Gray answered back in the top of the third with a two-run homer from Austin Kryszczuk to bring them within one. With the score tied 7-7 in the bottom of the sixth inning, a RBI double from Greiving put the Falcons on top once again.
TURNING POINT: With the Falcons leading 8-7 going into the top of the seventh inning, a RBI triple from Kade Higgins and a sacrifice fly from Pimentel put the Rebels up on top for good.
Josh Sharman (3-1) secured his third win of the season for UNLV after throwing 4.0 innings of relief and allowing two runs on seven hits.
Jack Sellinger (S,2) earned his second save of the season after pitching 3.0 innings of relief and allowing four hits with three strikeouts.
Jake Sansing (1-3) was saddled with the loss for Air Force. He pitched 3.0 innings of relief and allowed three runs on four hits.
GAME TWO RECAP: Air Force took the lead early in the game after scoring two runs on a RBI double from Greiving and a RBI single from Trayden Tamiya in the bottom of the first inning. By the top of the sixth, the Falcons had increased their advantage to 10-0 before the Rebels were able to put one on the board with a RBI single from Edarian Williams. Air Force led by as many as 13 going into the eighth inning. Both teams scored three runs apiece in the frame and the Rebels added one in the ninth for the final margin.
Dylan Rogers (1-3) earned his first win of the season for Air Force after throwing 7.0 innings and allowing one run on 10 hits with three strikeouts.
Joey Acosta (1-2) was saddled with his second loss of the season for UNLV after allowing four runs on five hits with three strikeouts in three innings of work.
NOTES AND NEWS
- Paul Myro IV has a six-game hitting streak.
- This was the only doubleheader so far this season.
UP NEXT: The Rebels and the Falcons will conclude the series with the rubber match set for Sunday at 11 a.m. (PT).
-UNLV-
