Box Score

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV baseball team (25-12, 8-6 MW) lost a 5-1 decision to the Air Force Falcons (15-20, 8-9 MW) in Mountain West play at Earl E. Wilson Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Falcons pulled away late in the game with four runs over the seventh and eighth innings after the two squads had finally managed to score one run apiece in the six off solo home runs by their respective lead-off batters.

UNLV’s Chase Maddux (3-4) and Air Force’s Matt Hargreaves (2-4) were locked in a pitcher’s duel though the first five innings of play, as neither allowed a run and struck out four apiece. Maddux surrendered four hits and forced the Falcons to leave five runners on base, while Hargreaves gave up five hits and stranded six. In the sixth, both gave up a solo homer and an inconsequential one-out single.

Maddux started the seventh inning, but allowed a five-pitch walk to Daniel Jones before giving way to reliever Blaze Bohall. The Falcons were able to take advantage of the runner on base with a sac bunt from Jacob Booker and an RBI single from Ryan Robb.

The Falcons tacked on three insurance runs in the eighth off UNLV reliever Conner Woods, who allowed three hits and committed a throwing error in the frame.

THE TURNING POINT: With one on in the top of the eighth and the teams separated by one run, 2-1, Woods fielded a comebacker up the middle that could have possibly started a 1-6-3 double play, but his throw to shortstop Bryson Stott was wide of the bag and allowed both runners to advance safely. The Falcons took advantage of the play with back-to-back run-scoring hits – an RBI single and a two-run triple – to expand their lead to three runs.

REBEL OF THE GAME: UNLV second baseman Nick Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the sixth.

STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV’s one run scored marked only second occasion this season that the team was limited to one or no runs in a game.

STAT OF THE GAME, PART DEUX: Air Force’s lead-off hitter Ryan Robb went 4-for-5 in the game, while the remainder of the team’s hits were from the 3-7 batters, as they collected eight hits.

QUOTABLE: “We didn’t play winning baseball in the eighth inning and Air Force did,” said head coach Stan Stolte. “We didn’t execute a couple basic defensive plays and it cost us. Chase (Maddux) pitched well enough to win, and we did nothing to help him.”

REBEL NOTES: - Saturday’s win by Air Force snapped UNLV’s 22-game home winning streak over the Falcons, which dates back to the 2010 season. In this span, UNLV owns a 31-14 record over Air Force, while the all-time series sits 100-34 in favor of the Rebels.
- Blaze Bohall made his 91st career appearance Saturday, which moves him one shy of tying former Rebel Koji Pupo (2004-07) for the most appearances in program history.
- Stott extended his hitting streak to 14 games with his eighth-inning double.
- Three Rebels extended their reached-base streaks: Robbins (31st), Isbel (25th) and Stott (25th).
- The Rebels are 17-6 in nonconference contests and 8-6 in Mountain West games.
- The Rebels are 17-4 in home games and 8-8 in road games.
- The Rebels are 0-3 when scoring two or fewer runs in a game, and 0-1 when scoring exactly one run.
- The Rebels are 18-5 when allowing five or fewer runs, and 1-3 when giving up exactly five runs.
- The Rebels are 5-1 when tied after six innings of play.
- The Rebels are 4-9 when they are outhit by an opponent.
- The Rebels are 9-8 when they allow 10 or more hits to an opponent.

UP NEXT: UNLV and Air Force conclude their MW series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium Sunday at 1:05 pm. All active and former military personnel as well as medical professionals and first responders can receive two free tickets with valid I.D. as part of our “Heroes Series” weekend promotion.

SINGLE-GAME TICKETS: Fans can purchase single-game tickets online and in-advance for only $5; however, they must be purchased through UNLVTickets.com three hours prior to first pitch. Single-game tickets for the 10 remaining home games are priced at $8 for adults, $6 for senior/faculty/staff and $4 for groups of 15 or more. As always, UNLV students (with Rebel Card) and kids 12 and under are always free.