Jackson Cook and Santa Clara never trailed Sunday.
As a result, UNLV’s seven-game winning streak ended with a 5-3 loss to the Broncos in the series finale at Schott Stadium. UNLV slipped to 9-3, while Santa Clara improved to 5-6.
Cook worked 5.0 hitless innings for Santa Clara. He allowed no runs, issued one walk, and struck out three. Meanwhile, the Rebels managed just two baserunners through five innings, with a walk in the third and a hit by pitch in the fourth.
Still, UNLV left the weekend with a road series win after taking the first two games.
Small-ball damage in the middle innings
Santa Clara manufactured the first run in the opening frame. Thomas Ferroggiaro and Ben Cleary drew walks, and Will Anderson singled to load the bases. Then Luke Devine lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring home Ferroggiaro for a 1-0 lead.
The Broncos added two more in the fifth. Mace Wheeler walked, and Ferroggiaro dropped a bunt single to set the table. Next, Max Ross hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Wheeler. Soon after, Anderson reached on a fielder’s choice to second that brought home Ferroggiaro for a 3-0 cushion.
In the sixth, Santa Clara tacked on another run in unusual fashion. Andrew Rayment scored on a balk, and the lead grew to 4-0.
Felix Ong took the loss for UNLV. He went 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts. After that, Tate Foxson covered 2.0 innings and gave up two runs, one earned, with two walks and three strikeouts.
A late push, but not enough
UNLV finally broke through in the seventh. Marcos Rosales reached and later scored when Nin Burns II singled to left for an RBI. That cut the deficit to 4-1, and it gave the Rebels some life.
However, Santa Clara answered right back. Cleary walked, and Ross doubled to center to put two in scoring position. Then Anderson lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Cleary for a 5-1 lead.
UNLV responded again in the eighth. Gunnar Myro homered to left to make it 5-2. Next, Rosales singled, and Drew Barragan followed with an RBI single to left to score Rosales and pull UNLV within 5-3.
In the ninth, UNLV brought the tying run to the plate. Burns II walked, and Jayden Hertel singled up the middle. But Santa Clara turned a game-ending double play, and the rally stopped there.
Rosales finished 1-for-3 with two runs. Burns II went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Myro went 1-for-3 with a solo homer.
Up next
UNLV returns home for Northern Colorado on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:05 p.m. PT.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
