UNLV vs Arizona St.

FSM Essential Recap: UNLV vs Arizona St. – Game 1

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UNLV Rebels (16-9)  |  Arizona State Sun Devils (11-15)

 

The game certainly lived up to the hype as UNLV was the winner of a crazy offensive game against the visiting Arizona State Sun Devils, with the final score of 11-10.

 

UNLV vs Arizona St.
Photo Credit: Kevin Bolinger/Fox 5

This was the first game that UNLV has ever played at the Las Vegas Ballpark, where the minor league team, the Las Vegas Aviators, call home. This was a one-game exhibition against the Pac-12 Arizona State Sun Devils with high hopes of a good game. And a good game was indeed played on the diamond last night. 

Josh Sharman was on the bump for UNLV as he took on ASU’s Jacob Walker. 

The offense started fast as the game’s first pitch was smacked into right for a leadoff double from the center fielder, Joe Lampe. The first three pitches of the game were all swung at, causing a man on first and second in a blink. 

Conor Davis was able to mark the game’s first tally with a soft single to right. 

Shortly after, teammate Nate Baez gave a nice shot up the middle to give ASU a 2-0 lead. 

The Rebels could not get anything going in the first, but Sharman was able to settle in and blank the Sun Devils the next two innings, leaving the door open for the offense to make some noise. 

 

The Rebels got things going in the bottom of the second with three straight singles to get the bases loaded.

 

 

Shortstop Braden Murphy cut the deficit in half with a single over the first baseman’s head as everyone moved up 90 feet. 

The plate discipline was tremendous for the Rebels as back-to-back walks were given up to Santino Panaro and Rylan Charles to give the Rebels a one-run lead. 

The inning was capped by an error from the third baseman, Ethan Long, to bring in another run for the Rebels. It was now 4-2 after two. 

The hot bats continued for UNLV as they picked up where they left off in the third with another crooked number. The inning started with an easy single from Joey Walls. He was brought up instantly from a no doubt triple from second baseman Edarian Williams to extend the lead. This was one of many clutch hits from Williams as he finished the game going 4-for-4, with two of those being triples while adding 5 RBIs to his performance. 

Murphy added another RBI to the stat sheet with a sacrifice fly to bring Williams home to bring the score to 6-2. 

ASU answered back with a 2-run home run in the top of the fourth by Sean McLain to bring the game within two. 

These were the last runs Sharman gave during his outing as he finished with a decisive 5.2 inning pitched while only earning two of the runs given up. He also added six strikeouts with only one walk allowed.  

“I was excited, and I was also very confident, ” said Sharman about tonight’s game. “I have pitched here before in high school, so I know the atmosphere, and I was just really excited to be back here at Aviator Ballpark.” 

Another big-time hit from Williams came in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead for the Rebels. He had a base clearing double with three runners crossing the plate to give his team a 9-4 lead. 

 

Nothing changed in the fifth as both teams went down 1-2-3. 

 

 

The sixth inning was a tough one for UNLV as they went through three pitching changes in the inning alone. It started with Jimmy Gamboa. His outing was very short as he gave up back-to-back hits as two runners crossed the plate for ASU. He was pulled for #44 Conner Woods. 

Woods did not make things better as he threw eight straight balls out of the bullpen to load the bases. 

Finally, UNLV went to Sam Simon. Simon was able to get that last out, leaving the bases loaded. A missed opportunity for ASU. 

UNLV was able to get a run back in the bottom half of the sixth. Williams got his easiest RBI of the game with a walk with the bases loaded. The score is 10-6. 

UNLV had five errors in the game, with the biggest one coming in the seventh inning. 

The error came from the first hit of the inning that instantly put a man on. A walk was given up shortly after to have two people on with only one out. Lampe took advantage of our mistakes and drove an absolute bomb to right-center to bring the game within one. 

UNLV made their last pitching change of the game and brought in Hayden Neirman to hopefully close things out. 

He certainly delivered as he got the final two outs of the inning and shut ASU down in the eighth to keep it at a 1-run game heading into the ninth. 

ASU went to Jacob Tobias to lead off in the ninth, and he did exactly what ASU wanted him to do. He hit a strong line drive to the wall to start things off with a double. Kai Murphy bunted him over, and ASU had a runner on third with one out. 

Alex Champagne came up clutch with a single to left to tie the game at 10. 

 

Nothing else was given up that inning to give the Rebels a chance to walk things off. And who did they have leading off? Edarian Williams. 

 

 

Williams started the inning with a bang as he just missed a home run by a matter of feet but was able to slide into third with an instant opportunity for a walk-off. 

ASU intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases. 

That did not matter as ASU’s pitcher threw a wild pitch that got past the catcher bringing Williams home to win the game. 

With all the clutch hits and memorable at-bats, Williams only cares about one thing; winning. 

“I am just worried about continuing to help this team win, help this city win. That’s all I want to do,” said Williams about his performance last night. “I play for my family, my friends, my teammates, my city, everything. I am born and raised here so that’s all I want to do”. 

 

Game 1 Box Score:

WP: Hayden Neirman (1-0)

LP: Blake Pivaroff (0-1)

HR: Sean Mclain (1), Joe Lampe (1)

 

Williams and the Rebels look to continue their winning ways as they head to New Mexico for a quick three game series against the Lobos starting this Friday.

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– Daniel Villegas 

Follow Daniel on Instagram @djvillegas.fsm 

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Franchise Sports Media Game Recap UNLV baseball