The Aggies (25-21, 10-7 MW) went into the game needing just one more win to punch their ticket to the conference tournament in San Diego in two weeks. Hosting the last-place Rebels (21-23, 4-13) for a three-game series, USU had hoped to get that taken care of right away. It didn’t happen as the final home series got off to a rough start.

The Aggies will get two more chances against UNLV before finishing the regular season at Boise State in a three-game series next week. With the loss, USU is now in fourth place in the MW. The top six teams qualify for the postseason tournament.

The game was about to begin Friday when a heavy rain started to fall at the end of player introductions. As the USU grounds crew dashed to cover the infield, it was announced there would be a lightening delay of at least 30 minutes. That was followed with more delays as lightening strikes lit up weather app screens.

After more than an hour of wild swirling winds, rain and lightening, the skies cleared and the sun came out. Both teams would deal with some more rain during the game, even with the sun shinning.

Whether the delay affected the Aggies or not was not discussed. But USU, one of the best hitting teams in the MW, recorded just four hits on Friday. The Aggies went down in order in the bottom of the first after getting out a jam in the top of the first as the Rebels left two runners in scoring position.

UNLV didn’t waste an opportunity in the second frame. An error to begin the second helped the Rebels get some momentum. Following a fielder’s choice, a Rebel was hit by a pitch. Maggie Vasa, batting in the nine spot, came through with a tough ground ball that squeaked by a diving third baseman and shortstop to score the first run. Leadoff hitter Ariana Martinez then cleared the bases on the first pitch she saw with a three-run bomb over the fence in left field. The Rebels had more than enough runs with a 4-0 lead.

USU stranded two in the second when Olivia Marble walked and Claudia Medina singled, but were left on on base.

Aggie starter Rylie Pindel needed just six pitches to get out of the third. Pindell had three innings where she retired the Rebels in order and at one point with the help of the defense recorded eight straight outs. But could get no run support.

It was looking like USU would erase the goose egg on the scoreboard in the third when Tatum Silva singled to left, followed by a single by the shortstop by Ariel Fifita. Grace Matej drew a walk to load the bags with no outs. UNLV escaped with a grounder back to pitcher Yanina Sherwood for a fielder’s choice out at home, and then a ground ball to third base turned into a double play.

The hit by Fifita extended her school-record streak of 41 straight games of reaching base.

UNLV tacked on a run in the fourth on a RBI double by Karmyna Becerra. A diving catch in right field by USU’s Kya Pratt saved any more Rebel runs coming in.

Marble walked to lead off the fourth, but once again the Rebels turned a double play to keep the shutout alive.

The Aggies got a single by Pratt in the sixth, but couldn’t do anything with it. Alex Bunton hit a deep ball in the seventh, but it was just foul as it left the park. It was that kind of day for USU.

UNLV finished with nine hits and did not commit an error. Sherwood struck out seven and walked three to get the win in the circle.

Pindell suffered just her second loss of the year in the circle, as she is now 10-2. She struck out one and walked one.

The Aggies and Rebels will play a doubleheader on Saturday as bad weather is expected on Sunday. The first game will begin at noon at Johnson Field as USU goes after a win to get to the MW tournament.