Las Vegas, Nev. - Playing the first of four games in the desert, the Tiger baseball team suffered a 6-2 loss at the hands of UNLV on Friday, Feb. 20, despite the best efforts of their sophomore pitcher, Will Lydon (0-2). Lydon pitched into the eighth inning in his second start of the year, but could not get Pacific (0-5) over the hump as they dropped their fifth-straight contest to start the 2015 season. The Rebels (3-2) rebounded from a midweek loss to take the first game of the series and move over .500 for the second time on the year after going 2-1 at home last weekend to start the year.

Starting his second-straight Friday night contest, Lydon gave the Tigers their second high quality start of the season as he lasted 7.0 full innings and pitched into the eighth before giving way to the pen. However, despite Lydon's best efforts, the Tigers struggled to back up their young hurler as he was tagged for three unearned runs and gave up four runs in the first four innings to fall behind once again while on the mound. Pitching to contact, Lydon suffered from bad luck as the Tigers committed an error in each of the first four innings of play while the Rebels came up with a single run in each of the innings to take a lead they would never give up.

The Rebels would add on a pair of runs in the seventh when the bottom of the order came up with back-to-back singles while Justin Jones delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to put the game out of reach. The two singles by the Rebels' eight and nine hitters snapped a string of 10-straight batteres retired by Lydon after his offense had given him a pair of runs.

The Tigers were able to score twice in the top of the fifth inning when the Rebels returned one of the gifts the Tigers had provided earlier with an error that would turn into a run. After junior J.P. Yakel was hit on the arm to start the inning, sophomore McKay Koissian popped a ball up to third that was mishandled by the Rebels' defense. After moving into scoring position on a ground ball to the right side, the two would come into score on a single up the middle by senior Jimmy Gosano. The hit was the first of the season for the senior second basemen as he provided a lift for the Tigers momentarily. That momentum would be shortlived as the Rebels recovered mentally and came up with a game-shifting play in left field as a single down the line turned into an out at the plate thanks to a perfect throw by UNLV's Joey Swanner. The play at the plate stopped the Tigers' rally dead in its tracks, ending Pacific's comeback hopes.

Pacific would threaten again in the seventh when Yakel led the inning off with a double off of Rebel starter Bryan Bonnell (1-0), but reliever Ben Wright (1) slammed the door on the inning and in the game to save the night. Wright would retire the first seven Tigers he faced until freshman Nate Verlin chopped an infield single to the right side to break up the perfect relief appearance. Despite the hit, Wright would record his first save of the year.

In all, Bonnell went 6.0 full innings while giving up six hits and two runs, one earned, while striking out four for his first win of the year. Lydon struck out three and gave up nine hits and six runs, three earned, in the loss. Sophomore Vince Arobio pitched the Tigers into and out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth in relief of Lydon as he punched out a pair. Neither pitching staff relinquished a walk, however three batters were hit in the contest.

The two teams will be back in action for the second game of the series on Saturday, Feb. 21 as Pacific goes for its first win of the season at 2:00 pm.