After trailing 6-3 entering the ninth inning, Nevada (12-10, 4-5 MW) scored three runs in the ninth and won 7-6 at UNLV (14-11, 4-5 MW) thanks to Joshua Zamora’s 10th inning home run. A fielding error and a two-RBI single by Conor Allard plated the three runs needed for Nevada to stay alive and tie the game at six in the ninth inning.
With the victory, Nevada is now 2-0 in extra inning games, with the first win coming in the series finale at San Diego State. Both wins have come in the 10th inning.
Grant Ford (1-1) picked up his first win of the season after only allowing one hit in the ninth and tenth innings combined. Nevada used six different pitchers, with sophomore Jake Jackson going 2.2 innings to start the game.
The Rebels jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, plating three runs in the first inning thanks to four singles. Nevada began to chip away at the lead in the fourth, when Jaylon McLaughlin grounded out but allowed Weston Hatten to score from third.
Junior Dillan Shrum continued his home run streak, as he belted his third of the weekend in the fifth to score two and tie the game at three. He now leads the team with five on the season and is two away from matching his career-high at seven.
The fifth and sixth innings proved beneficial for UNLV, as they were able to plate three more runs and extend their lead to 6-3, but would be held scoreless the rest of the contest.
Entering the ninth inning, trailing 6-3, Nevada fought back thanks to some quality at-bats that put them in position to mount their comeback. Zamora drew a four-pitch leadoff walk, and with one out Marco Valenzuela walked to put two runners on with nobody out. During Keaton Smith’s at-bat, the Rebels committed a costly fielding error that allowed Zamora to score and put two runners in scoring position
Allard’s biggest hit of the season came with one out, knocking in Valenzuela and Smith to tie the game. The Rebels had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, but Ford produced a groundout to push the Pack to extra innings.
With two outs and nobody on base, Zamora blasted his fourth homer of the year, which proved to be the game-winner. Ford produced a strikeout and two groundouts in the 10th to send Nevada home with the win.
The Pack will play five games at Don Weir Field at Peccole Park this week, beginning with two midweek games before host Air Force over the weekend.
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