LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV Rebels opened the 2026 season in strong fashion Friday night, defeating the Austin Peay Governors 7-3 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium behind a crowd of 836.
HOW IT WENT DOWN: ​UNLV struck first in the bottom of the opening inning. After back-to-back walks by Reggie Bussey and Marcos Rosales, Nin Burns II delivered a single to load the bases. Jonny Rodriguez followed with a groundout to second that brought home Bussey for the game's first run. The Rebels added another in the second when Jack Salmon singled and later scored on Bussey's sacrifice bunt, giving UNLV a 2-0 advantage.
The Rebels continued to apply pressure in the third, as Cooper Sheff singled and Salmon drove him in with a triple to center field to push the lead to 3-0. Austin Peay threatened in the fourth with a Ty Wisdom double, but UNLV escaped the inning without allowing a run.
UNLV broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run frame. Rosales delivered the big blow, ripping a double down the right-field line to score Gunnar Myro and Bussey. Sheff later singled up the middle to plate Rosales, extending the lead to 6-0.
Austin Peay got on the board in the fifth, using a two-run single from Zion Taylor to cut the deficit to 6-2. UNLV responded in the sixth in unconventional fashion, as Ayden Garcia scored on a balk to make it 7-2.
The Governors added a run in the seventh on Taylor's RBI double, but UNLV's Jase Evangelista shut the door the rest of the way. The junior retired the side in order in both the eighth and ninth innings to secure the season-opening victory.
Salmon led UNLV offensively with a triple and an RBI, while Rosales drove in two runs with his fourth-inning double. Sheff collected two hits and an RBI, and Bussey reached base multiple times while scoring twice. On the mound, Carson Lane held the Governors scoreless through the first four innings before turning it over to Evangelista. The Riverside California native went 4.1 innings of work where he struck out five batters and gave up just one hit on one earned run. Lane went 4.2 innings with six strikeouts and walked a pair of batters.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- The Rebels' Friday-night victory marked the first in program history against the Governors, the game being noted as the first meeting between the two programs.
- The win over Austin Peay marks the fifth season-opening victory in the last six seasons.
- UNLV had nine hits along with nine walks in the contest.
- The Rebels left 11 runners on base while Austin Peay stranded four on base.
UP NEXT: UNLV and Austin Peay will return to Earl E. Wilson Stadium for games two and three of their nonconference series Saturday, with first pitch slated for game two at 12:05 pm, followed by game three of the series 30 minutes after the conclusion of game two. Game four will take place Sunday at 12:05 pm.
