MESA, Ariz. (Interstat) — The seed UNLV Runnin Rebels face the seed Air Force Falcons on Thursday evening in the opening round of the Mountain West Baseball Championship at Sloan Park.

UNLV (30-24) enters the tournament winners of three of its last four, including a 9-7, 10-inning victory over San Diego State on Saturday. The Runnin Rebels’ offense has been potent, averaging 8.6 runs over the final seven games of the regular season. Air Force (25-26) stumbled into the postseason, dropping three of its last four, including an 8-1 loss at Oregon State on Saturday.

The Falcons, however, swept a three-game series at UNLV in March — the teams’ only meetings this season. Air Force won 18-16, 15-11 and 16-5. In that series, Air Force’s lineup punished UNLV pitching for 49 runs and 56 hits.

UNLV will rely on senior outfielder Nin Burns II, who is batting .438 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 10 games. In Saturday’s regular-season finale, Burns went 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs.

Air Force counters with right-handed pitcher Ethan Dillinger. The senior has been erratic, but he threw five shutout innings with two strikeouts in a win at New Mexico on May 2. In his last outing, he worked 2 2/3 perfect innings of relief against Oregon State.

The weather forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid-80s at first pitch.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-4 UNLV win.