April 21, 2001

SAN DIEGO - The UNLV softball team split a conference doubleheader with San Diego State on Saturday in San Diego. The Aztecs (28-20, 4-6) took game one 1-0 and the Rebels (25-21, 6-6) won game two 8-2.

The games were delayed three hours due to rain but the teams were able to squeeze the twinbill in before dark. In game one, the Aztecs scored the lone run on a walk, sac bunt and an error to take the 1-0 lead. Freshman hurler Kacey Ellis went the distance for the Rebels in the losing cause but dropped her ERA to a team-best 2.07 on the year.

Game two began with the Rebels taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run home run by MWC Player of the Week senior Racheal Goodpaster who hit her eighth long-ball of the season. San Diego State cut the score to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning, but UNLV added four runs in the top of the second to put the game out of reach. Senior Melissa Inouye led off the scoring in the second inning with a run-scoring double up the middle. Freshmen Bridget Byrne and Shawna Goessling hit RBI singles along with a sacrifice fly by Goodpaster to give the Rebels a 6-1 lead.

The Aztecs got one run back in the fourth inning, but the Rebels had the answer in the sixth as senior Stephanee Italiano came in to pinch-hit for Inouye and connected on a double down the left field line, scoring two runs giving UNLV a 8-2 lead.

The Rebels will continue on the road, traveling next weekend to Salt Lake City for a doubleheader on Friday against Utah and a doubleheader on Saturday against BYU. UNLV will return home May 4 with a doubleheader against New Mexico starting at 12:00 at the Rebel Diamond.