April 8, 2001
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team earned a split with Utah at the Rebel Diamond on Sunday. The Rebels improve to 3-3 in conference play and 22-18 overall. Utah moves to 24-17-1 and 5-2-1 in conference play.
The Utes scored two quick runs in the top of the first inning on a single by Niki Hayhurst. The Rebels battled right back in the bottom of the inning, cutting the deficit to one run on a sacrifice fly to center field by senior Racheal Goodpaster.
The game stayed 2-1 in favor of Utah until the top of the fifth inning when Melissa Stahnke hit a two-run blast to right field, putting the Utes ahead 4-1. The Rebels scored their second run of the game on a single by senior Linda Garza, scoring Goodpaster from second.
Utah added another run in the top of the seventh on a single by Niki Hayhurst, increasing the Utah lead to 5-2. The Rebels had one last shot to get back in the game in the bottom of the seventh. The Rebels loaded the bases but were unable to bring anyone home.
Game two began with the Rebels taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run double by junior Geney Orris. Rebel freshman pitcher Kacey Ellis retired the first eight batters of the game before loading the bases in the third inning. The next batter, Lyndsey Trevis, fouled a 2-2 pitch to first base for the third out of the inning.
UNLV got on the scoreboard again in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run home run by junior Samantha Kimura giving her three long balls on the season.
Utah got one run back in the top of the fifth on a single by Trevis who was then cut down at second for the third out of the inning. The Rebels pushed the lead back to four runs in the bottom of the fifth on a run-scoring single by Orris, making the score 5-1 after five innings.
In the top of the sixth, Ellis worked her way out of another jam with runners on first and second with one out. The Rebels got the second out on a foul fly to left field. Ellis had great help from the infield on a hit down the third base line as senior Linda Garza flipped the ball to the short stop senior Marisa Martinez for the force out at third.
The Rebels padded their lead in the sixth with two runs on a single by Orris to give UNLV a 7-1 lead. Utah had one last at bat to make a game of it in the top of the seventh. The Utes loaded the bases with one out bringing the clean-up hitter Melissa Stahnke to the plate hit a two run-single, cutting the Rebel lead to 7-3. Ellis forced the next batter to ground out, but surrendered a run scoring single to make the score 7-4. UNLV got the final out of the game to earn the split.
Ellis earned her ninth win of the season and went the distance for the team, leading seventh time this season improving her record to 9-6.
The Rebels will begin a ten game conference road trip with games at Colorado State and New Mexico this weekend. UNLV will return to the Rebel Diamond on May 4, with a double header against New Mexico.
