Feb. 10, 2001
PHOENIX, Ariz. - The UNLV softball team rebounded on day two of the ASU Fiesta Bowl Tournament with wins against No. 24 Texas 10-6 and Missouri, 11-6 on Saturday.
After struggling at the plate in day one of the tournament, the Rebels had a morning batting practice session before their game against Texas. It paid off. UNLV smacked in ten runs on nine hits, which was more hits than the Rebels had combined in their two games yesterday. The Rebels (3-2) never let the Longhorns get into the game, scoring in the first six innings of the game. UNLV led off the game with a run and got another in the second, to take an early 2-0 lead. In the top of the third, senior Racheal Goodpaster, with two on, hit a three run home run to widen the lead to 5-0.
Texas (2-3) added two runs in the bottom of the third to cut into the defecit. UNLV then responded with another three run inning in the fourth to take a 8-2 lead. Junior pitcher Nicole Truax started to get into some trouble on the mound. Texas got the bases loaded and knocked in a couple of doubles to get closer, 8-6. Truax got her composure back and shutout the Longhorns the rest of the way as UNLV added a run in the fifth and sixth to open the 10-6 lead. Truax went the distance for the Rebels allowing six hits and four earned runs. Goodpaster led the way at the plate, going 3-4 and five RBIs. The Longhorns left 10 batters on base in the loss.
Game two had the Rebels playing their third straight Big 12 opponent in the Missouri Tigers (1-2). Junior pitcher Geney Orris, who looked solid in her first start against St. Mary's on Tuesday, only pitched one and two-thirds of an inning, giving up six runs on five hits as the Tigers took a 6-1 lead through the top half of the second inning. Now the Tigers faced the same pitching trouble that the Rebels had earlier. UNLV (4-2) knocked in five runs in the bottom of the second to tie the game at six. Freshman hurler Kacey Ellis entered the game for Orris and went the rest of the way, working five and a third of an inning, allowing seven hits, no runs and two strikeouts.
In the fourth inning, UNLV poured it on, as Orris redeemed herself at the plate with a grand slam to center field as part of another five run inning to take the eventual 11-6 victory. Ellis earned her first collegiate win (1-1), and Goodpaster added three RBI's giving her eight RBI's on the day.
UNLV will take on No. 8 LSU on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. before returning home later that day. Next weekend the Rebels host the UNLV Classic.
