Courtesy of Nevada Athletics

MESA, Ariz. – Jackson Waller’s three-run homer capped a five-run Nevada first inning as the Wolf Pack cruised to a 15-4, seven-inning win over San Diego State in its Mountain West Championship opener Thursday at Sloan Park.

Nevada (34-21) moves on in the winner’s bracket, and will face the winner of Thursday night’s Fresno State-San José State matchup Friday at 3:05 p.m.

Waller drove in seven runs, adding a two-run triple in the fourth and a two-run single in the fifth, going 3-for-3 on the day with a walk. Waller’s seven RBIs are tied for the second-most in a Mountain West Championship contest, coming up just one short of the mark of eight set by BYU’s Sean McNaughton in 2010. His two-out homer in the first put Nevada in front for good, answering San Diego State’s two-run salvo in the top of the first.

Nevada starter Peyton Fosher picked up his sixth win of the season, going five innings and giving up just three runs on six hits with four strikeouts. After Nevan Noonan hit a two-run homer in the top of the first, Fosher settled in, getting a shutdown frame in the second to set up Nevada’s bats breaking the game open.

After Jack Metcho walked, stole second and advanced to third as Aztec catcher Evan Sipe’s throw sailed into center field, he came in on Jake Harvey’s bloop double to center. Harvey, who started the Pack’s comeback with a leadoff single in the first, went on to drive in three runs in a 3-for-4 day.

Nevada increased its lead to 8-3 as Michael Ball drove in Harvey with a sacrifice fly, then Billy Ham added his second RBI single in as many innings to drive in Jacob Doyle. Ham matched Harvey’s 3-for-4, three-RBI day, while Ball was 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored.

Ball and Jayce Dobie, who was 2-for-5 with a double, came in on Waller’s triple in the fifth, while Harvey brought Waller and Doyle in to make it 12-3 in the fourth. The Wolf Pack moved into 10-run territory in the fifth as Ham doubled in a run and Waller’s two-run single made it 15-3.

Xavier Cardenas III lasted just 1.2 innings for San Diego State (20-38), giving up eight runs on eight hits. Three Aztec relievers finished off the final 4.1 innings, giving up seven runs.

Eric Valdez came on for Nevada in the sixth and threw the final two innings, giving up just an unearned run in the seventh.

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