March 2, 2001

LOS ANGELES - The UNLV softball team defeated South Florida 2-0 and 5-2 on the first day of the Easton Classic on the campus of UCLA. The Rebels improve to 11-7 and the Bulls fall to 11-11 on the year.

Game one began as a pitcher's dual, as no runs were scored until the 5th inning and both teams pitched a no-hitter into the 4th inning. UNLV scored the only two runs of the game in the top of the 5th as senior Melissa Inouye hit a sac-fly to deep center field as senior Linda Garza scored from third. Later in the inning, freshman Lisa Moses drove a single to center field with freshman Carrie Bayless scoring on the play. Junior Geney Orris pitched five innings, giving up two hits and struck out four. Freshman Kacey Ellis recorded her first save of the season in two innings of work, allowing no hits and one walk.

Game two began with the Rebels getting two quick runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Samantha Kimura recorded her team-leading sixth double of the season, scoring senior Racheal Goodpaster and Moses. South Florida cut the deficit in half in the top of the second. The Rebels added another run in the second inning as freshman Bridget Byrne got caught in a run-down between first and second base, while junior Arica Painter scored from third.

UNLV made the game 5-0 with a run in the fourth and fifth innings. South Florida scored its second run in the top of the seventh. Ellis went the distance for the Rebels in this game, giving up 10 hits, two runs, none earned, with two walks and two strikeouts. UNLV will be in action tomorrow at 1:00 in a double header against Cal State Northridge. The Rebels will then conclude the tournament on Sunday with a double header against No. 1 UCLA at 1:30.