UNLV roundup: Baseball team holds big edge in hits, still falls to Lobos

Jack Zoellner hit a three-run first-inning home run and a double Sunday to power New Mexico to a 7-3 win over UNLV and cap a three-game Mountain West baseball series sweep at Wilson Stadium.

Payton Squier went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI for the Rebels (10-16, 5-7), who held a 13-7 edge in hits but stranded 10 runners in their seventh straight loss.

Luis Gonzalez (2-2) started for the Lobos (15-9, 9-0) and gave up three runs on 12 hits in six innings, with no walks and two strikeouts. He also had a single, an RBI and a run.

Ernie De La Trinidad went 3-for-5 for UNLV, and teammates Nick Ames and Vince Taormina each had two hits and a run.

Garrett Poole (2-3) was charged with five runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks and struck out one in six innings.

Andre Vigil went 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice for New Mexico, which won its fourth straight.

Danny Collier and Jared Mang each added a single, an RBI and a run for the Lobos.

SOFTBALL

At Eller Media Stadium, Chelsea Johnson went 3-for-4 with a three-run first-inning homer and a double to lead New Mexico to a 5-4 victory over UNLV.

Brianna Gatlin and Janine Petmecky hit consecutive RBI doubles in the sixth for the Rebels (18-13, 2-4 Mountain West), who lost two of the three games in the series to the Lobos (16-12, 2-1).

Myranda Bueno went 2-for-3, Alyssa Navarro and Karly Bunderson each had a single and an RBI, and Reina Bondi had a double, a stolen base and a run for UNLV, which matched New Mexico’s 11 hits and left 10 runners on base.

Shelbie Franc went 3-for-4 with a steal and a run, and Jasmine Casados had a double, a single, an RBI and a run for the Lobos, who led 5-1 after 3½ innings.

New Mexico starter Tess McPherson (8-5) gave up two runs on seven hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings, with no strikeouts.

The Lobos scored all of their runs off Rebels starter Morgan Ettinger (12-8), who permitted eight hits and one walk and struck out one in four innings.

Reliever Breana Burke shut out New Mexico on three hits and no walks and struck out one in three innings.

MEN’S TENNIS

At Houston, Ruben Alberts’ three-set win at No. 4 singles was the highlight for UNLV (11-6) in its 4-1 loss to Denver (7-9) in the Rice Invitational.

Alberts outlasted Jesse Ruder-Hook 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

The Pioneers pulled out two three-set singles matches: Yannik James topped Jakob Amilon 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1, and Alex Gasson beat Evaldo Neto 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3.