Frustrated Rebels struggle to find answers

UNLV baseball coach Tim Chambers went to the mound in the sixth inning and summoned right-hander Zack Hartman, one of the team’s closers.

Pitching coach Stan Stolte tapped his left arm in the eighth to bring in southpaw Brayden Torres, the other closer.

No save was on the line; the relievers simply needed the work after not pitching for about a week.

UNLV’s baseball team didn’t put itself in position this weekend to make saves, and after Sunday’s 7-3 loss to San Diego State, the Rebels are searching for answers.

Like how did they get to this point?

UNLV (12-14, 2-10 Mountain West) is in danger of suffering its first losing season since going 26-31 in 2012. The Rebels went a combined 73-45 the past two seasons.

“I think a lot of guys are in their own heads when they’re not doing as well as they should be,” Torres said. “They really should be doing well. We’re a great team, just as good as we were last year and the year before. Guys are getting in their heads when they’re struggling, and it results in strikeouts with the bases loaded and just not producing.”

The Rebels don’t have to wait long before taking the field again, hitting the road for a game at Long Beach State on Tuesday and a three-game series at UNR beginning Thursday.

This was the first time since April 2012 the Rebels were swept in a multigame series at Wilson Stadium. The Aztecs did it then, too.

“This team does need a couple of wins at some point in the next couple of weeks,” Chambers said.

Validation is important, proof the talent is as good as the coaches and players believe it to be, even if the evidence hasn’t backed up that point of view. Injuries have hit and been a factor, but Chambers is hopeful the team will get healthier soon.

He said he wasn’t concerned about the players’ confidence, and Chambers said the players have remain committed to each other.

“You always worry about sticking together and making sure we don’t point fingers and getting frustrated because it’s frustrating,” Chambers said. “We’re all frustrated right now. At the end of the day, this is a good team. We’ll play better.”

Chambers did have an animated discussion with catcher Erik VanMeetren after the game in right field. VanMeetren, who on Friday tied an NCAA record with his 18th consecutive time reaching base and set a school record with his 10th straight hit, was removed Sunday by Chambers in the seventh inning.

“He didn’t yell at me for taking him out,” Chambers said. “We’ll keep that in house. He’s one of our leaders, and there are certain things that you just don’t do. I’ll make the decisions. I’m pretty sure the only guys that have ‘Ls’ next to their name after the game are me and pitchers.”

San Diego State (22-6, 10-2) gave the Rebels plenty to argue about when the Aztecs scored three runs in the sixth to break a tie and take the lead for good at 5-2. Chase Calabuig delivered a run-scoring double, and Ty France singled in two runs.

Hartman gave up the single, and Torres surrendered a two-run double in the eighth. They followed right-handed starter Blaze Bohall (3-1), who allowed seven hits and four runs over five innings.

UNLV outhit San Diego State 10-9, with Dylan Ellis going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. Joey Armstrong and Austin Anderson each went 2-for-4, and Anderson had two RBIs.

But the Rebels batted .167 with runners on base and .250 with runners in scoring position.

“I think we’re a little beat up,” Hartman said. “This is a pretty rough situation to go through. No team ever wants to go through this. As long as we turn this on at the right time, this is not going to matter. As long as we can keep moving forward from here and start playing together and continue being a unit, it’s going to turn around for us. It will.”

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.