LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball squad will hit the road once last time in the regular season where they will face Washington State for a three-game Mountain West series beginning on Friday, May 9 and concluding on Sunday, May 11.
SCHEDULE (PST)
Friday, May 9 at 6:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 10 at 6:05 p.m.
Sunday, May 11 at 12:05 p.m.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Overall vs. Washington State: 9-7
Current streak against Washington State: W1
Last Meeting: The Hustlin' Rebels defeated the Cougars, 10-9, at a neutral site game in San Diego on Feb. 27, 2023.
BROADCAST INFO: The official livestream for the weekend will be broadcasted on the Mountain West Network. Links to broadcasts as well as live stats are available here.
THIS SEASON: The Hustlin' Rebels have been able to produce a pair of batters with a batting average of .350 or higher; Dean Toigo (.402) and Cole Koniaraky (.375) represent the highest averages. The duo represents several of the top 15 spots in the Mountain West leaderboard for those marks, ranking second and fifth, respectively, in batting average, for the fourth straight week.
UNLV holds several other top marks within the conference, Toigo ranking first in the Mountain West in hits (76) and RBI (67). Toigo also sits fifth in the nation in RBI and tied for 13th in hits. Additionally, Toigo is first in the MW in home runs (14) and ranks second in total bases (131). Cole Koniarsky is fifth in the MW with 66 hits and is tied for fourth in conference only games with 38 hits.
Sophomore starter Carson Lane leads the Rebels with 73 strikeouts, currently third in the Mountain West and sits first with a .229 opponent batting average and third in the MW with a 4.41 ERA.
In four games last week, Toigo went 9-for-18 (.500) with two home runs, three doubles, three walks, one stolen base, 10 RBI and seven runs scored in four games, including three wins. He recorded a .565 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage. The senior went 2-for-4 with six RBI, one home run, one double and one walk against Utah Tech. He notched a 2-for-4 effort in the series opener against San Jose State with three RBI, one run scored, one double and one walk in the series opener against the Spartans. In game two, Toigo went 3-for-5 with three singles, one walk and one stolen base. The series finale saw Toigo record his league-leading 14th home run of the season in a 2-for-5 game, where he scored two runs and hit a double.
Koniarsky had a solid week last week as the outfielder drove in six runs in back-to-back games against Utah Tech and game one against San Jose State. The Chino Hills, California native went 3-for-6 with a home run against the Trailblazers and 2-for-3 with another home run against the Spartans in game one of the series.
The Hustlin' Rebels have collected six Mountain West weekly honors so far this season, Sheff owning three Freshman honors, while Toigo collected his first Player of the Week nod on April 28. Additionally, Lane and Mercurius have picked up their first Pitcher awards within two weeks apart.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT: Washington State enters the weekend after winning two out of three games against Air Force. Will Cresswell has paced the Cougars with a .367 batting average, a 1.036 OPS and 47 hits. Cresswell's .367 batting average sits sixth in the MW, while his .593 slugging percentage ranks ninth. Logan Johnstone, who leads WSU with 57 hits, is tied for fourth in conference only games with 38 hits.
Washington State's pitching is led by Griffin Smith's 5.19 ERA, while Nick Lewis' 43 strikeouts ranks first on the team.
NEW FOR 2025: The Rebels feature 23 newcomers wearing the Scarlet & Gray heading into the new season, three of those student-athletes being marked as true freshmen on the roster and 20 transferring to Las Vegas.
Of those 20 transfers, the Scarlet & Gray have two pairs of student-athletes to the roster arriving from the same institution, including Nicky Garritano and Michael Cruz from CSN. The duo helped lead the Coyotes to become one of the premiere JUCO programs, Garritano earning the 2024 NJCAA DI Baseball Defensive Player of the Year honor. Also being a two-time NJCAA DI Baseball ABCA & Rawlings Gold Glove recipient, both he and Cruz hold multiple All-Region selections in Region 18.
A few of UNLV's fresh faces earned some time on the diamond during the Rebels' scrimmage, the team having plenty of options to utilize throughout the season. Senior outfielder Dean Toigo led Hope International to their first-ever win in the Avista NAIA World Series as Toigo drove in two runs during the contest. Dwight Allen II was part of the 2022 Georgia squad that advanced to the NCAA Regional after appearing in 42 games that season and Colton Sundloff owns postseason experience from his time at Oklahoma pitching in the NCAA Super Regional.
UNLV was voted tied for fourth in the Mountain West Preseason Poll prior to the start of the season, tied with New Mexico and San Diego State. The Rebels earned a first-place team vote during the poll, Paul Myro IV claiming All-Mountain West Preseason Team honors.
