VanMeetren’s two-run single in eighth lifts UNLV baseball to win over San Diego State

Pinch-hitter Erik VanMeetren’s two-run single broke a tie and capped a three-run rally in the eighth inning as the UNLV baseball team defeated San Diego State 4-3 on Saturday at Wilson Stadium.

Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Rebels used an infield single, three walks and VanMeetren’s single to left to take the lead. The Aztecs scored once in the ninth, but reliever Tyler Iodence got the final out and his third save of the season for UNLV (26-12, 10-7 Mountain West).

Buddy Borden (5-1) picked up the victory, allowing three runs on six hits with four walks in 8 2/3 innings.

Patrick Armstrong and T.J. White each had two hits for the Rebels, who won their second straight one-run game with the Aztecs. On Friday, UNLV rallied for a 9-8 victory in 17 innings, a game that took 5 hours, 1 minute to play. The game tied for the longest in innings in UNLV history, matching a 1-0 victory over Pacific in 1970.

The Rebels won their first series against San Diego State since 2008 and will go for a three-game sweep at 1 p.m. today.

In other UNLV sports Saturday:

■ The softball team was no-hit in a 3-0 first-game loss to Cal State Fullerton, then fell 5-4 in 12 innings in the second game of a doubleheader at Fullerton, Calif.

In the first game, Titans pitcher Jasmine Antunez faced only two batters over the minimum and struck out four and walked three. She also got the win in the second game with six innings of one-run relief.

Amanda Oliveto took the loss in both games. She pitched a complete game in the opener, allowing no earned runs, and 5 1/3 innings of relief in the second game.

Tayler Aleman hit a three-run homer in the third inning for the Rebels (18-25), and Heather Harrison added a solo homer in the 11th.

■ The men’s tennis team swept Fresno State 7-0 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex to finish 4-2 in the Mountain West. The Rebels (16-6) won all three doubles matches, then got singles victories from Ace Matias, Gilad Berman, Tamas Batyi, Bernard Schoeman, Charlie Alvarado and Johannes Markel.

■ The women’s tennis team fell to Wyoming 4-2 in a neutral-site indoor match at Fort Collins, Colo. The Rebels (15-7, 5-2 Mountain West) got victories at No. 1 singles from Aleksandra Josifoska and at No. 2 from Lucia Batta, who is 21-0 this season.

In College of Southern Nevada sports Saturday:

The baseball team went 2-1 against Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. CSN won the completion of a suspended game 5-3 and the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader 5-1 before losing 1-0 in nine innings.

The Coyotes (32-13, 20-8 Scenic West Athletic Conference) got a three-run homer from Evan Van Hoosier in their 5-3 victory, and a complete-game three-hitter from Thomas Pannone in the 5-1 win.

Meanwhile, the softball team split with host Salt Lake, losing the first game 5-4 and winning the second, 4-3. The Coyotes are 25-25 overall and 18-21 in the SWAC.