MESA, Ariz. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV Hustlin' Rebels' baseball team (31-23) saw their season come to an end with an 8-0 loss to San Diego State (20-37) in the opening round of the Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship at Sloan Park on Wednesday evening.

HOW IT WENT DOWN: From the first pitch, the Rebels found themselves on the defensive. San Diego State's leadoff hitter wasted no time, doubling to right-center. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and was driven home by a single. It was a textbook small-ball inning, giving the Aztecs a 1-0 lead they would never relinquish. UNLV tried to respond in the bottom half of the inning, with leadoff man Dean Toigo reaching base after being hit by a pitch and later advancing to third. The opportunity quickly evaporated as the Rebels ran into trouble on the base paths, as Cole Koniarsky was caught stealing, ending the inning with Toigo stranded at third. San Diego State would go on to score single runs in the third and fourth innings. The Aztecs stretched their lead to 4-0 in the sixth thanks to an unearned run, the product of a throwing error by UNLV's infield. Already trailing 4-0, the Rebels' bullpen unraveled in the top of the ninth. A leadoff single and stolen base by SDSU led to a sacrifice fly, making it 5-0. The Aztecs then exploded for three more runs, including a two-run double. By the time the final out was recorded, San Diego State had posted a four-run inning and an 8-0 cushion. UNLV's final three batters went down quietly in the ninth to end the contest. UNLV managed just six hits across nine innings, none for extra bases, and stranded 10 runners. Carson Lane was credited with his sixth loss of the season as the sophomore went four innings giving up seven hits on three earned runs with one walk.

QUOTABLE: "Things didn't go our way tonight and we did nothing to get going. Their pitcher dominated us again from the start. They played better than us in all phases. We played good baseball down the stretch, but tonight that disappeared. The last six to seven weeks, kids played their butts off but it was a tough way to end the season."
-Head Coach Stan Stolte

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- The Rebels are 30-36 all-time at the MW Championship.
- The Rebels are 9-17 all-time in elimination games at the MW Championship.
- The Rebels were 15-9 in nonconference contests and were 16-14 in Mountain West games.
- The Rebels were 19-7 in home games, 8-13 in road games and 4-3 in neutral site games.
- The Rebels were 11-11 when they scored five or fewer runs.
- The Rebels were 2-10 when they allowed 10 or more runs.