Aztecs shut down Rebels in MWC baseball tourney opener

Junior right-hander Tyler Lavigne pitched superbly and got plenty of offensive support as San Diego State routed UNLV 12-1 in Tuesday’s first round of the Mountain West Conference baseball tournament at Fort Worth, Texas.

Lavigne, a Centennial High School and College of Southern Nevada product, allowed three hits and one run in 7 2/3 innings. Lavigne (7-1) walked four and had eight strikeouts.

The fifth-seeded Rebels (26-31) will meet No. 3 Brigham Young at 9 a.m. today in the double-elimination tournament.

The fourth-seeded Aztecs (38-19) scored seven runs in the eighth inning to blow the game open.

Senior right-hander Corey Hales (3-3) lasted only 2 2/3 innings and took the loss for UNLV. Hales walked seven and allowed two runs.

The Rebels scored on Anthony Morel’s sacrifice fly in the fourth that closed the deficit to 2-1.

Erik Castro, Ryan O’Sullivan and Cory Vaughn each had two RBIs for San Diego State.