LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV baseball fell in the series finale to UNR, 4-2, on Sunday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. This series is part of the Silver State Series presented by America First Credit Union.

The Hustlin' Rebels (16-15, 4-8 MW) left 12 runners on base and had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Wolf Pack (18-13, 7-5 MW) closer Ethan O'Neal took care of business to Brendan O'Sullivan with a flyout to center field to end the contest.

HOW IT WENT DOWN: ​UNLV pitcher Sam Simon took care of business early on, as he retired the first 11 batters he faced. The Hustlin' Rebels broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third inning when catcher Gallegos doubled to left center and then proceeded to advance to third on a Paul Myro IV sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice fly from JP Hefft brought Gallegos home to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead. However, that was the only run they would muster until the ninth inning. UNR responded in the top of the fifth with a two-out rally. After a hit by pitch and two walks loaded the bases, UNR's Junhyuk Kwon delivered a clutch two-RBI single up the middle, driving in the tying and go-ahead runs. The Wolf Pack tacked on two more in the sixth, with RBI groundouts from Taylor Holder and Jacob Doyle, extending their lead to 4-1. In the bottom of the sixth, the Rebels loaded the bases but failed to score after a series of missed opportunities. In the ninth, UNLV managed to push one more across as Hefft singled, and a double from Sheff put runners on second and third. Dean Toigo's sacrifice fly brought in Hefft, narrowing the gap to 4-2. UNR closer Ethan O'Neal sealed the victory with a pair of flyouts to center field, ending UNLV's hopes of a dramatic comeback. Rebels starter Simon Lueck took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings where he struck out two and walked three. Wolf Pack starter Casey Burfield warned his second win of the season giving up just one run on five hits over 5.2 innings.

QUOTABLE: "Can't score just two runs on a Sunday in the MWC and expect to get the win. We woke them up in the fifth with two walks and a hit-by-pitch, then they had a good hitter step up with a two-out hit with runners in scoring position, something we didn't do all day."
-Head Coach Stan Stolte

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
-This is the second time in three games Gallegos recorded three hits in a game.
-Hefft struck out three times in a game for the first time this season.
-Koniarsky has recorded a hit in 10 of his last 11 games.
-UNLV out-hit UNR 8-7 and struck out eight batters compared to the Wolf Pack's three strikeouts.

UP NEXT: The Rebels will open a two-game homestand with Utah Valley on Monday, April 7 at 6:05 p.m. and Tuesday, April 8 at 2:05 p.m.

-UNLV-