MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Nin Burns drove in five runs, including three on a mammoth eighth-inning home run, and the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels erupted for 13 runs over the final two frames to pull away from the Southern Illinois Salukis 16-8 in a nonconference baseball game Saturday at Siebert Field.

The game, which started in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, was a tight 3-0 contest until UNLV’s offense exploded in the top of the eighth. The Runnin’ Rebels sent 16 batters to the plate, scoring nine runs on seven hits to break the game open. Burns capped the marathon inning with a three-run shot to left-center field, his first home run of the season.

UNLV improved to 11-5 overall, while Southern Illinois fell to 5-8.

The most important part of the game was the decisive top of the eighth inning, which transformed a manageable deficit for Southern Illinois into an insurmountable one. The Salukis had clawed back with three runs in the seventh to cut UNLV’s lead to 3-2, but the Runnin’ Rebels responded with an immediate and overwhelming counterpunch.

The inning began against reliever Tyson Greene. Burns singled, Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and Gavin Taylor was also hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Kade Salmon and Tyler Myro followed with consecutive RBI singles, chasing Greene from the game. After a pitching change, Aidan Bussey drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run. A wild pitch allowed a fourth run to score before Burns, batting for the second time in the inning, launched his homer off Gavan Wernsing to clear the bases. Taylor later added a two-run homer in the same inning.

Burns, the top star for UNLV, finished the day 4 for 6 with the homer, a double and five RBIs, rebounding from a recent stretch of quieter performances. Taylor also homered and drove in two runs.

The late offensive surge overshadowed a strong start from UNLV’s Parker Dillhoff, who held Southern Illinois hitless through six and one-third innings before allowing three runs in the seventh. He finished with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Colton Sundloff recorded the final two outs of the seventh to strand two runners.

For Southern Illinois, starter Dawson Hargrove provided 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief after entering in the second, allowing just three hits. Josh Hyneman added two more scoreless frames. The Salukis’ offense was led by Julio Guerrero, who tripled and doubled, driving in two runs. Pinch-hitter Kristian Sprawling hit a two-run homer in the ninth, and Jacob McKenzie added a two-run triple in the seventh.

Southern Illinois will conclude its weekend in Minneapolis against South Dakota State on Sunday. UNLV travels to face Northwestern on Sunday.