LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Down to their final three outs and trailing by four runs, UNLV baseball delivered a dramatic comeback for the ages, scoring five runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Milwaukee, 8-7, in a walk-off thriller to claim the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
HOW IT WENT DOWN: The Hustlin' Rebels (26-21) entered the ninth inning facing a 7-3 deficit after Milwaukee controlled much of the game early, but the home side refused to go quietly. Gunnar Myro sparked the rally with a leadoff single before Reggie Bussey electrified the dugout with a triple down the right field line, plating Myro to make it 7-4. After a walk to Marcos Rosales forced a pitching change, Drew Barragan delivered the biggest swing of the day - a towering three-run home run to deep left that tied the game at 7-7. Nin Burns II worked a walk, and Jonny Rodriguez reached on a fielding error to put the winning run 90 feet away. With two outs, Cooper Sheff lined a single to center field, scoring Burns for the walk-off winner and completing the improbable comeback.
Milwaukee appeared in control for most of the afternoon. The Panthers jumped out early with a three-run first inning highlighted by Charlie Marion's RBI triple and Dylan O'Connell's sacrifice fly. They extended the lead to 5-1 in the second on O'Connell's two-run single and later pushed it to 7-2 through seven innings.
Barragan kept the Rebels within striking distance earlier in the game with a solo home run in the fourth, finishing with two homers and five RBI in a standout performance. UNLV chipped away late, scoring once in the seventh before setting the stage for the ninth-inning heroics. On the mound, the Rebels' bullpen steadied things after a rough start. Colton Sundloff and Jacob Gomberg combined to hold Milwaukee scoreless over the final two innings, giving UNLV the opportunity to mount its comeback.
QUOTABLE: "Much needed win. We've been in a funk offensively lately, maybe that can get us going again. When we hit, it covers up a lot of our warts in other areas. I was happy with the seven plus innings we got out of the bullpen. That gave us a chance."
-Head Coach Stan Stolte
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
-With Drew Barragan's 3-for-5 day, the redshirt senior has now reached base in all 45 games he has played in this season and has an on-base streak of 46 games dating back to his time at Western Kentucky last season.
-Barragan's two home runs put him at 11 this season, along with 52 RBI, both leading the team.
-Barragan's five RBI in the series finale is a season-high.
-Gunnar Myro now has a nine-game hitting streak with his 1-for-2 day.
-Jacob Gomberg collected his first win in the Scarlet & Gray as the left hander pitched in the ninth inning giving up one walk and struck out a pair of batters.
-Jayden Hertel went 3-for-4 with three singles and scored a run.
-Cooper Sheff collected his 14th multi-hit game of the season.
-Reggie Bussey went 2-for-4, including his second triple of the season, an RBI and a walk.
UP NEXT: UNLV will end its four-game homestand with their final nonconference game of the season against BYU on Tuesday, May 5 at 6:05 pm.
