LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — Rohan Lettow threw five hitless innings and the San Diego State Aztecs pounded out 14 hits in a 15-1 victory over the UNLV Runnin Rebels on Thursday night at Earl Wilson Stadium in a Mountain West matchup.

Lettow, who entered with a 6-1 record after his last start against San Jose State, struck out three and walked two, facing one batter over the minimum. He did not allow a baserunner past second base, retiring the side in order in the second and fourth innings. The Aztecs improved to 33-20 overall, while UNLV fell to 28-24.

San Diego State struck first in the top of the first inning. Dawson Santana walked, stole third and scored on a groundout by Thomas Justice. Jabin Trosky followed with a single, but the inning ended on a groundout. The score remained 1-0 until the Aztecs broke the game open in the third.

Zane Kelly walked to lead off the inning, and Santana doubled to put runners at second and third. Jake Jackson then delivered a two-run double to center field, scoring Kelly and Santana. After Justice grounded out, Trosky walked and then stole second as Jackson swiped third and scored on a throwing error by UNLV catcher Jaxson Taylor. Max Farrell followed with an RBI double to deep center, scoring Trosky, and the Aztecs led 5-0.

The Runnin Rebels managed only one baserunner through the first three innings against Lettow, a single by Andre Barragan in the first. In the third, Myles Myro singled and Noah Bussey walked, but both were left stranded as Barragan lined out to end the inning.

Lettow worked a clean fourth and fifth, finishing his outing with a strikeout of Taylor to end the fifth. He threw 78 pitches, 48 for strikes.

San Diego State added to its lead in the fifth. Trosky singled, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Taylor, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Farrell. The Aztecs led 6-0 after five innings.

The game’s decisive blow came in the sixth. Jake Peterson singled and Evan Marnell doubled to put runners at second and third. Kelly singled to center, scoring Peterson, and Santana singled to center to bring home Marnell. Jackson then crushed a three-run home run to deep center field, his fifth RBI of the night, pushing the lead to 10-0. Trosky doubled later in the inning but was left on base.

Isaac Araiza relieved Lettow to start the sixth and struck out two in a scoreless inning. He allowed one earned run in the seventh.

San Diego State continued to pile on in the seventh. Peterson walked, pinch runner Julian Lopez advanced to second on a walk by Marnell. Kelly doubled to right center, scoring Lopez. Zane Emmerman, pinch hitting for Santana, singled to center, driving in Marnell and sending Kelly to third. Trosky then singled to left center, scoring both Kelly and Emmerman for a 14-0 lead.

UNLV scored its only run in the bottom of the seventh. Cooper Sheff, pinch hitting for Trey Hertel, doubled to lead off the inning. Parker Salmon grounded out, advancing Sheff to third, and pinch hitter Alex Garcia lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Sheff.

Jackson finished 2 for 5 with a home run and five RBIs. Trosky went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Kelly was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs. Santana reached base four times, going 2 for 2 with a double, two walks and an RBI. Farrell had a double and two RBIs. Emmerman added a pinch-hit single and an RBI. For UNLV, Myro had two hits and Barragan singled. Sheff doubled in his only at-bat.

Cody Albright pitched the seventh for UNLV, allowing two hits and one earned run with one strikeout. The Runnin Rebels used four pitchers.

The most critical stretch of the game occurred in the third inning when the Aztecs sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs on three hits, capitalizing on a throwing error to extend the inning. That outburst turned a tight 1-0 game into a 5-0 deficit for UNLV, effectively putting the contest out of reach.

The Aztecs and Runnin Rebels are scheduled to play again Friday and Saturday at Earl Wilson Stadium to complete the three-game series. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of San Diego State 8, UNLV 7, while Interstat’s ELO system gave UNLV a 54.60 percent probability to win.