STOCKTON, Calif. (UNLVrebels.com) – After Saturday's contest was rained out and pushed back a day, the UNLV baseball team (2-1) took the field for a double-header on Sunday. The Rebels were able to pick up their first two wins of the 2024 season after the conclusion of the double-header, claiming the season series.
After pulling out four runs on a two-out rally to force extra innings, the Scarlet & Gray's bats continued to run hot for the remainder of the day. UNLV tallied 21 hits in the two games after 75 at bats to hold a team batting average of .280 on Sunday.
GAME 1: UNLV 6, Pacific 5 (10 inn.)
-
Albert Roblez started the Rebels strong, earning all three outs in the bottom of the first inning by strikes. He caught the first two looking, the third going back to the dugout from swinging.
- The Tigers would score first, picking up two runs in the top of the second inning and one in the top of the third to claim a 3-0 lead.
- UNLV would pick up a run late in the top of the fifth,
Rylan Charles singling off a near-perfect bunt to drive in
Chase Ditmar from third base.
- After Pacific would respond with a score in the bottom of the fifth, they would extend the lead once again in the bottom of the eighth inning to push the score to 5-1.
-
Gunnar Myro would start the top of the ninth by reaching on a fielding error, but two quick outs would put the Rebels on the back foot. The Scarlet & Gray's next eight batters would touch first base; including
JP Hefft's single,
Kade Higgins' single,
Austin Kryszczuk's single,
Paul Myro IV's walk and another walk by
Santino Panaro. That sequence of at bats would tie the game at five runs each.
-
Matthew Maloney would take the mound to help the Rebels close the game in the bottom of the ninth, sealing away Pacific with one ground out and two pop ups.
-
Bailey Seeger would kick off the top of the 10th with a walk,
Parker Schmidt immediately stealing second base after coming in as Seeger's pinch runner.
- Another Hefft single pushed Schmidt to third, then
Alex Pimentel's sacrifice fly to left field would be just far enough to bring Schmidt home for the 6-5 lead.
- Maloney held strong and picked up the win for UNLV, putting down the side 1-2-3 by foul out, ground out and a swinging strike out.
GAME 2: UNLV 8, Pacific 0
-
Sam Simon started on the mound in one of the most efficient ways possible, clearing the Tigers in the bottom of the first with three pitches.
- The Rebels would strike first with two runs in the top of the second, Kryszczuk picking up a triple down the right-field line. He'd later advance to home off
Brendan O'Sullivan's sacrifice fly, Seeger eventually bringing in Schmidt across home plate as well to pick up a 2-0 lead.
- After the Tigers threatened to hit the board with runners on first and second with one out, Simon's composure on the mound would help keep Pacific scoreless with two consecutive swinging strikeouts.
- UNLV scored four more runs across four innings of work, RBIs stemming from Pimentel, Schmidt, Seeger and Kryszczuk to push the lead to seven runs.
-
Carson Lane would relieve Simon after seven shutout innings, striking out two Tigers looking to limit Pacific to one more chance in the game.
- The Rebels added one more insurance run in the top of the ninth inning, Myro and Pimentel each walking after
Alex Overbay reached on a fielder's choice. Myro would slide home after a wild pitch to push the lead to 8-0.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORES
- Simon's seven innings of work on the mound in game two marked a career-high for the junior, his fourth-career start for the Rebels.
- Kryszczuk's triple marked the seventh of his career at UNLV, the last one coming in the win over California Baptist back on April 23 last season.
- The weekend marked the second-consecutive season that the Scarlet & Gray won at least two of the three games in their first series, sweeping Pacific last season.
- The Rebels' all-time record against Pacific is now set as 41-21, UNLV owning the lead.
UP NEXT
UNLV will have one more California stop before their home opener next weekend, playing against Stanford on Monday, Feb. 19 at 12 p.m. PST. That game will be held at Stanford's Klein Field at Sunken Diamond, the game being televised on the Pac-12 Network.
