LAS VEGAS (UNLVrebels.com) – After wrapping up their series on the road last weekend, the UNLV baseball team (13-11) hurried back to the 702 to face off against Arizona State (11-14) on Monday night. The two teams played a neutral contest at the Las Vegas Ballpark, the Sun Devils besting the Rebels on a four-run ninth inning to give the Scarlet & Gray the loss on a final score of 10-9.
After Arizona State hit a solo home run in the first inning, the Hustlin' Rebels responded with a seven-run inning of their own to claim the lead after one inning of play. The top of the lineup hit three-straight singles (
Rylan Charles,
JP Hefft and
Isaac Rodriguez), Rodriguez's slap to center field bringing home Charles from third. With
Kade Higgins drawing a walk to load the bases,
Austin Kryszczuk pushed a ball to right field for one base, driving in two more runs to break the tie.
Parker Schmidt would later tally the team's fifth single of the inning before the pitching change.
The hitting wouldn't slow down despite the new arm on the mound,
Chase Ditmar and
Chase Gallegos each drawing singles of their own in back-to-back at bats for three more runs to the Rebels' cause (two for Ditmar, one for Gallegos). After Gallegos stole second base, he'd later cross home plate from a sacrifice fly to conclude the team's high-scoring inning.
The Sun Devils would inch closer as time went on, scoring two runs in the top of the fourth and fifth inning as well as one in the eighth. With the score 7-6 in favor of UNLV, Arizona State rallied to put up four innings in the top of the ninth to take the lead.
Down 10-7 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, Kryszczuk was able to pick up a five-pitch walk on one out to get the tying run on deck. After
Parker Schmidt stepped next to the plate and earned a 3-1 count, the senior blasted a two-run homer over the left-field wall to make the game a one-score difference. The Rebels' rally would end there, the next two batters not reaching first base to end the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Schmidt's homer in the ninth marked the first long ball wearing the UNLV uniform, the 11th of his collegiate career.
- The Scarlet & Gray featured two freshman on the mound during the game that earned career longs, starter
Carson Lane producing five innings and
LJ Mercurius throwing relief for three innings.
- The Rebels have extended their run streak to 178-straight games of avoiding being shut out, dating back to the 2020 season.
UP NEXT
The Rebels will kick off an eight-game stretch at Earl E. Wilson Stadium, starting against Fresno State on Thursday, March 28. They'll play the Bulldogs Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the first game starting at 6:05 p.m. PT.
