UNLV found a way to survive the early chaos Friday night, then used the middle innings to take control.
The Rebels beat Grand Canyon 13-8 in the opener of a three-game Mountain West series at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark. UNLV trailed twice in the first three innings, then flipped the game for good with a three-run fifth and a four-run sixth. The bullpen did the rest, covering the final six innings and allowing only two runs, one earned.
Middle innings flipped the game
Grand Canyon led 1-0 after the first, then answered Jayden Hertel’s two-run homer in the second with a three-run bottom half to go back in front 4-2. UNLV punched back again in the third when Cooper Sheff launched a three-run homer, but the Lopes answered once more and carried a 6-5 lead into the fifth.
That is where the game turned. Ayden Garcia tied it with an RBI single, and Hertel followed with a two-run single to put UNLV ahead 8-6. An inning later, Drew Barragan broke it open with a three-run homer to deep center, and Jack Salmon added another run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Garcia’s RBI double in the seventh gave the Rebels their final run.
Several bats came through
Hertel led the way, going 3-for-4 with four RBI. Barragan scored four runs, walked twice, and hit his eighth homer of the season. Sheff also drove in three with his homer, while Garcia finished with two hits and two RBI.
That balance mattered. UNLV scored 13 runs on only eight hits, but it paired those hits with eight walks and five hit batters. The Rebels kept creating traffic until Grand Canyon finally cracked.
Bullpen gave UNLV a real finish
The offense will get the headlines, but the bullpen changed the shape of the game.
After Parker Dillhoff gave up six runs, five earned, in three innings, Ryan Marton steadied things. He worked two innings, allowed one unearned run, and picked up his first win. Yates Bland then handled the final four innings for his first save, giving up one run and striking out four.
That stretch was the difference. UNLV was in a track meet early. By the end, the Rebels had turned it into a game they could control.
Mountain West picture
The win pushed UNLV to 4-6 in conference play, tied with San José State and one game behind Grand Canyon in the loss column. The Rebels are still chasing the top half of the standings, but Friday’s win kept them from losing more ground and gave them a chance to grab a road series Saturday.
Up next
UNLV continues the series at Grand Canyon on Saturday at 6 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.
