UNLV TO KICK OFF 2025 AT SANDERSON FORD CLASSIC
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The UNLV baseball team is set to open the 2025 season in Surprise, Ariz. The team will be one of the four teams part of the Sanderson Ford Collegiate Baseball Classic, the four-match weekend consisting of games against no. 7 Oregon State, Indiana and Xavier.
SCHEDULE (all times in PST)
Friday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. vs. Indiana
Saturday, Feb 15 at 11 a.m. vs. no. 7 Oregon State
Sunday, Feb 16 at 4 p.m. vs. Xavier
Monday, Feb 17 at 9 a.m. vs. Indiana
MATCHUP HISTORY
All-time vs. Oregon State: 4-6
All-time vs. Indiana: 0-0
All-time vs. Xavier: 0-0
Last Meeting: Oregon State won on June 1, 2014 on a 6-1 score in Oregon.
BROADCAST INFO: All four games during the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic will be streamed live on FloCollege. Links to broadcasts as well as live stats are available on unlvrebels.com/sports/ baseball/schedule.
THIS SEASON: The Rebel rotation on the mound this week will feature three familiar faces and one new member of the roster. The Rebels will start this weekend’s games with Carson Lane, LJ Mercurius, Evan Vasiliou and Sam Simon (in that order). The three returners filled in 42 appearances during the 2024 season, Vasilious collecting four wins last season as one of Utah Tech’s starting pitchers.
UNLV returns some of their key batters from the 2024 season, JP Hefft owning the top batting average from last season (.328) among the team’s returners. Ranking 11th in the Mountain West last season in batting average, he combos alongside his infielder teammate in Paul Myro IV. The duo ranked first and second on the roster last season in assists, Hefft also being the top-returning infielder in putouts.
The Scarlet & Gray’s holds some top marks among the conference as well during the 2024 season, ranking second in batting average, walks, scoring and strikeout-to-walk ratio.They also ranked in the top three in doubles, ERA, hits, runs, slugging percentage, walks allowed per 9 innings and hit-by-pitch.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: Oregon State’s no.-7 ranking heading into the season marks the highest-ranked opponent the Rebels will face since matching up with no.-7 ranked Arkansas during the 2023 season.Head coach Mitch Canham kicks off his sixth season with the Beavers, owning a program-record .669 win percentage.OSU was a dominant team on the offense last season, slugging a .551 slugging percentage for the highest mark in program history. OSU’s Dax Whitney will take the mound against the Rebels.
The Hoosiers return six position players from the 2024 season that started at least 40 games, including NCAA DI Preseason All-American Devin Taylor. The program has plenty of additions on the mound, their arms include Gaven Seebold (Southern Indiana), Cole Gilley (Indiana State) and Jackson Yarberry (St. Louis). Indiana’s Gavin Seebold will kick off the season on the mound versus UNLV, the Monday starter TBD.
Xavier earned three All-BIG EAST Preseason selections heading into the 2025 season; Luke Hammond, Connor Misch and Aedan Anderson being noted on the list.Hammond started in every game for the Cougars last season, batting .290 overall and .292 during BIG EAST contests.Anderson led the league in home runs with 18 during 2024, second on the team that year in slugging percentage at .641.
NEW FOR 2025: The Rebels feature 23 newcomers wearing the Scarlet & Gray heading into the new season, three of those student-athletes being marked as true freshman on the roster and 20 transferring to Las Vegas.
Of those 20 transfers, the Scarlet & Gray have two pairs of student-athletes to the roster arriving from the same institution, including Nicky Garritano and Michael Cruz from CSN.The duo helped lead the Coyotes to become on of the premiere JUCO programs, Garritano earning the 2024 NJCAA DI Baseball Defensive Player of the Year honor. Also being a two-time NJCAA DI Baseball ABCA & Rawlings Gold Glove recipient, both he and Cruz hold multiple All-Region selections in Region 18.
A few of UNLV’s fresh faces earned some time on the diamond during the Rebels’ scrimmage last weekend, the team having plenty of options to utilize throughout the season.Senior outfielder Dean Toigo led Hope International to their first-ever win in the Avista NAIA World Series as Toigo drove in two runs during the contest. Dwight Allen II was part of the 2022 Georgia squad that advanced to the NCAA Regional after appearing in 42 games that season and Colton Sundloff owns postseason experience from his time at Oklahoma pitching in the NCAA Super Regional.
Of the Rebel freshman trio, two arrive from California and Carl LaGrone coming from McQueen High School in Las Vegas.LaGrone ranked as the top LHP in Nevada, according to PerfectGame.com, Demetriz Lewis earning an All-Tournament nod after his performance in the 17U National Championship.Coming from Clovis North High School in Fresno (Calif.), Jayden Hertel picked up First Team All-TRAC recognition as a senior.
UNLV was voted tied for fourth in the Mountain West Preseason Poll prior to the start of the season, tied with New Mexico and San Diego State. The Rebels earned a first-place team vote during the poll, Paul Myro IV claiming All-Mountain West Preseason Team honors.