San Diego State won the outright Mountain West regular-season championship with a resounding 15-1 run-rule victory over UNLV in seven innings on Thursday in the opener of a three-game series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
The Aztecs (33-20, 16-6 MW), who clinched at least a share of the conference crown in their home finale vs. San José State on May 10, made quick work of the Rebels to capture the third outright MW regular-season title in program history after the Scarlet and Black accomplished the feat in 2002 and 2004. In addition, SDSU shared a regular-season championship in 2023.
On Thursday, the Aztecs matched their season best with 15 runs and set a season high with six doubles to help secure their 33rd victory of the season, marking their highest victory total since the 2018 campaign (39-21).
Individually, SDSU was led by Jake Jackson (2-for-5), who established a season high with five RBIs, including a three-run homer, while Jabin Trosky (4-for-4) equaled his season best with four hits and drove in two runs of his own.
Not to be outdone, Zane Kelly and Dawson Santana each collected two runs and scored three runs apiece for the Aztecs.
On the mound, SDSU starter Rohan Lettow raised his record to 6-1 on the year after tossing five scoreless innings with a trio of strikeouts, scattering three hits and three walks, while Issac Araiza pitched the final two frames.
After grabbing the early lead on Zach Justice’s RBI groundout in the first, the Aztecs broke the game open with a four-spot on three hits, two walks and an error in the third off UNLV starter Parker Dillhoff. Kelly drew a walk to lead off the inning, while Dawson Santana followed with double to right center, as both runners crossed the plate moments later on Jackson’s two-bagger to center.
Following a groundout, Trosky drew a walk and advanced on a successful double steal, as Jackson raced home on a throwing error past second by catcher Gavin Taylor. Max Farrell soon stepped to the plate and just missed a home run after blasting an 0-2 pitch high off the fence in left center to bring in Trosky.
Farrell added a sacrifice fly in the fifth before SDSU combined for nine runs in the sixth and seventh to turn the contest into a runaway.
The Aztecs sent nine men to the plate in the sixth, recording five consecutive hits off Rebel reliever Reese Lueck to start the inning. Kelly singled home Tyce Peterson, who previously led off with a base hit to right center, while Anthony Marnell IV doubled and scored on Santana’s single to center.
Jackson then crushed the first pitch from Lueck high over the center-field fence for his team-leading 14th home run of the season, knocking in Kelly and Santana to give the visitors an insurmountable 11-0 advantage.
SDSU continued its barrage with four additional markers in the seventh, highlighted by Kelly’s run double. Pinch-hitter Marc Emmerman also got into the act with his first career RBI, plating Marnell IV, who previously walked, while Trosky followed with a two-run single of his own to close out the scoring.
The Rebels (28-24, 9-13 MW) avoided the shutout when Cooper Sheff doubled and scored on Ayden Garcia’s in the seventh.
Dillhoff (4-4) took the loss for UNLV after yielding five runs on four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Playing its final series as Mountain West members, San Diego State will face UNLV in game two of its weekend set on Friday, May 15, starting at 6:05 p.m. PT. The Aztecs-Rebels clash will air live on the MW Network.
