Hustlin’ Rebels rout Western Michigan 16-1 in 7 innings

Yates Bland dominated for five innings, and the Hustlin’ Rebels rolled to a 16-1 win over Western Michigan in seven innings Wednesday afternoon at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

UNLV improved to 7-2 and extended its winning streak to five straight. Just as notably, the Rebels have poured in 70 runs during that stretch, turning the last week at the ballpark into a nightly scoreboard chase.

Bland with extra seasoning

Bland earned the win and moved to 2-0. He went 5.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts.

Western Michigan scored its lone run in the third on Drew Howard’s RBI single. However, Bland kept the damage limited and worked cleanly through the fifth.

After that, Colton Sundloff and Tate Foxson finished the final two innings without allowing a run.

The first two innings flipped it

UNLV jumped in front right away in the first.

Marcos Rosales walked and Nin Burns II walked, and both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Then Jonny Rodriguez lined a two-run single to left-center to make it 2-0.

Next, the Hustlin’ Rebels buried the game in the second with five more. Rosales singled up the middle for an RBI, and Drew Barragan followed with a three-run homer to left. Soon after, Burns went back-to-back with a solo homer to left as UNLV took a 7-0 lead.

Keep scoring, keep pressure

UNLV answered Western Michigan’s third-inning run with four more in the bottom half.

Cooper Sheff singled, and Gavin Taylor walked. Then Jayden Hertel singled to left for an RBI and moved to second on an error. Taylor scored on a fielding error, and Sheff scored as well.

After that, Reggie Bussey singled up the middle for an RBI, and he later scored on a throwing error by the catcher. In the end, UNLV pushed the margin to 11-1.

The Rebels added three more in the fourth. Jack Salmon singled through the right side for an RBI, then Taylor doubled to left-center for two more to make it 14-1.

UNLV finished the scoring with two runs in the fifth. Nicky Garritano drew a bases-loaded walk for an RBI, and Sheff added a sacrifice fly to center.

Numbers that mattered

Barragan finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and the three-run homer. Burns went 1-for-3 with a homer, two walks and two runs scored. Rodriguez went 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Rosales scored three times and reached base twice with a single and a walk. Taylor drove in two with his double and also drew a walk.

Up next

UNLV opens its first road trip of the season at Santa Clara on Friday, Feb. 27. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. PT.