BASEBALL READY TO HOST FRESNO STATE THIS WEEKEND
X: @unlvbaseball | IG: @unlvbaseball | Schedule | Game Notes
The UNLV baseball team returns back to Earl E. Wilson Stadium to host Fresno State for a three-game series.
SCHEDULE (PST)
Friday, Mar. 21 at 6:05 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 22 at 6:05 p.m.
Sunday, Mar. 23 at 12:05 p.m.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Overall vs. Fresno State: 47-74
In Las Vegas: 29-28
Current Streak: UNLV, 1
Last Meeting: The Rebels won the series finale on a 16-10 final score in Fresno, Calif.
BROADCAST INFO: The official livestream for the weekend will be broadcasted on the Mountain West Network. Links to broadcasts as well as live stats are available on unlvrebels.com/sports/baseball/schedule.
THIS SEASON: The Hustlin‘ Rebels have been able to produce three batters with a batting average of .350 or higher through the first half of the season, Dean Toigo (.364), JP Hefft (.360) and Cole Koniarsky (.351) representing the highest averages. The trio represents the back-half of the top 15 spots in the Mountain West leader board for those marks, ranking 10th through 12th in the previously-mentioned order.
UNLV holds several other top marks within the conference, Dean Toigo holding top marks in the Mountain West in RBIs and home runs. The senior outfielder shares the top spot in the Mountain West in home runs on the season (7), holding a top-four spot in RBIs with 25 for second place. Hefft’s leadoff spot has garnered him a top-three position in hits among his conference peers, ranking third with 31 on the season.
Sophomore starter Carson Lane leads the Rebels with 27 K’s of his own, currently ranked fourth in the Mountain West. Lane’s latest starts have held him inside the conference’s top-10 ERA marks so far in the season, notching the eighth-place spot on a 5.16 note.
Cooper Sheff was honored as the Mountain West Freshman of the Week earlier in the season, producing four home runs in a five-game stretch from 2/24 – 3/2. This marked the first Freshman honor for the Rebels since Reese Lueck in the 2023 season, he totaled a slugging percentage of 1.111 and a batting average of .455. The Las Vegas native collected nine RBIsand eight hits during the stretch, his home run against Milwaukee being the final run and difference maker in the 4-3 win.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Bulldogs enter the season as the reigning Mountain West Tournament champions, starting the 2025 season as one of the better all-around teams in the conference with second-place marks in both team batting (.294) and team ERA (5.80). Kaleb Hay has thrown 22 innings so far this season in relief on the mound, holding a 2.86 ERA for third overall in the conference standings. Aidan Cremarosa and Jack Anker also are among the top-15 ERA’s on the season, Cremarosa fanning 28 batters in 2025 for the second-place spot in the Mountain West.
Fresno State has plenty of strong batters in their lineup, Cam Schneider with the highest batting average on the team at .385 in 52 at bats. Eddie Saldivar and Justin Stransky will be threatening for extra-base hits on the Rebel pitchers, Saldivar tying the top spot in the league in doubles (nine) and Stransky rounding out the top-five in the Mountain West in home runs (five).
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 him 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.