April 6, 2001
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team split a pair of games with the BYU Cougars on Friday at the Rebel Diamond. The Rebels took game one 4-3 and BYU won the nightcap 9-4.
Game one began with the Rebels taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to a two-run blast by junior Samantha Kimura, her second long ball of the season. UNLV jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the third inning on a double by senior Racheal Goodpaster, scoring freshman Shawna Goessling from third.
BYU battled back in the fourth inning, as it got one run on an error. The Cougars had the opportunity to cut into the deficit more, but the Rebels turned a double play to get out of the inning. The Cougars tied the game at three in the fifth inning, scoring on a double by Lindsey Kelly and a triple by Angie Christiansen.
UNLV scored the eventual game winning run in the bottom of the sixth on single by senior Melissa Inouye, scoring senior Linda Garza from third.
The Cougars had one last chance to get back into the game in the seventh inning. After two quick outs, Rebel freshman pitcher Kacey Ellis gave up two singles and intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases for the force out at any base. Brooke Cadiente took a 3-0 count in the next at bat for the Cougars. Ellis batted back in the at bat, forcing Cadiente to foul off three straight pitches. Cadiente hit a ground ball to second base and junior Arica Painter made the play to first for the final out, giving the Rebels a 4-3 win.
The second game of the twin-bill had the Cougars taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a pair of Rebel errors, which led to Liz Boydston scoring from third. BYU scored again in the third on a single by Boydston, scoring Liz Smith from third for a 2-0 advantage. The Rebels had the bases loaded in both the third and fourth innings but were unable to get anything across. BYU added another run in the fifth, taking a 3-0 lead on a double by Kari Pringle.
BYU blew the game open in the sixth, as it batted around scoring six runs on five hits highlighted by a three-run home run by Oli Keohohou giving the Cougars a 9-0 lead. The Rebels came back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs in the inning as they batted around also. Junior Geney Orris hit a two-run double to highlight the inning. The Rebels were unable to get anything across in the seventh, falling 9-4.
UNLV will host Utah on Sunday in a double header at the Rebel Diamond. First pitch is set for 12:00.
