USAFA, Colo. (UNLVRebels.com) - A dramatic late-game swing and a series resulted in a difficult day for UNLV baseball as the Rebels dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Air Force, falling 18-16 in a wild Game One and 15-11 in Game Two on Saturday afternoon at Erdle Field.

GAME ONE HOW IT WENT DOWN: UNLV (13-8, 0-3 MW) appeared to pull off one of its most dramatic comebacks of the season before Air Force (6-11, 3-0 MW) answered with a walk-off home run in a chaotic finish.
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The Rebels struck first in the second inning when Jack Salmon drove in Nin Burns II with a single to give UNLV a 1-0 lead. UNLV extended its advantage in the third inning as Marcos Rosales doubled home a run before Burns II brought in another with a groundout. A wild pitch later in the inning pushed the lead to 4-1.

Air Force responded in the fourth inning with a decisive five-run frame, highlighted by Landon Boyd's grand slam that gave the Falcons a 6-4 lead. UNLV chipped away, getting an RBI groundout from Rosales in the fifth and a solo home run from Cooper Sheff in the sixth to stay within striking distance. Reggie Bussey added a towering solo shot in the seventh as the Rebels continued to close the gap.

Trailing 12-8 entering the ninth, UNLV exploded for eight runs in a stunning rally. Burns II delivered a two-run single, Jonny Rodriguez followed with an RBI knock, and Sheff and Salmon each added run-scoring hits. A sacrifice fly from Ayden Garcia, an RBI triple by Gunnar Myro and an RBI bunt from Bussey capped the surge as the Rebels grabbed a 16-12 lead. The Falcons, however, had one last answer. Air Force rallied with three runs to trim the deficit to one before Luke Elmore launched a three-run walk-off home run to right field, sealing an 18-16 victory in a game that featured 34 combined runs.

GAME TWO HOW IT WENT DOWN: UNLV again started quickly in the second game. After Bussey led off with a hit, Garcia crushed a three-run homer to right field in the first inning to give the Rebels an early 3-0 advantage. Air Force answered immediately, scoring four runs in the bottom half, including a two-run homer from Walker Zapp. The Rebels reclaimed control in the third inning with a five-run rally. Burns II lifted a sacrifice fly before Myro delivered the biggest swing of the frame, lining a three-run double to push UNLV ahead 8-5.

UNLV added another run in the fourth when Rodriguez reached on an error that allowed Rosales to score, extending the lead to 9-5. Air Force once again countered with a big inning. The Falcons plated five runs in the fourth, highlighted by a two-run single from Elmore, to take a 10-9 lead. They added two more in the fifth on a two-run homer from Kayden Bradshaw. A three-run seventh inning extended the Falcons' advantage to 15-9, putting the Rebels in a difficult position late.

UNLV mounted a brief rally in the eighth as Burns II tripled home a run and Sheff followed with an RBI single to make it 15-11, but the comeback attempt fell short as Air Force closed out the game in the ninth.

QUOTABLE: "Disappointed in the outcome this weekend but not in the effort and fight the kids had in them in really difficult non-baseball playing conditions. It was like playing on the moon. The amount of walks we allowed that eventually scored has really made it extremely difficult on us." 
-Head Coach Stan Stolte

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
-Nin Burns II went a combined 4-for-8 with three RBI, two runs scored, one triple and one walk. 
-Ayden Garcia notched a 2-for-5 stat line with four RBI, two runs scored and belted one home run.
-Reggie Bussey had a 4-for-9 day with one RBI, three runs scored, one home run and one walk.
-Marcos Rosales also posted a quartet of hits with two RBI and three runs scored.

UP NEXT: UNLV returns home where they will host the first of 11 straight games in Las Vegas as they begin with a midweek game against Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday, March 17 at 6:05 pm.