May 11, 2001

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The UNLV softball team was eliminated from the MWC Conference Tournament on Friday with a 3-1 loss to No. 4 seed New Mexico. The Rebels finish the year with a 26-30 record, the best record in four years.

The Lobos got their bats going early as Brook Chaffee's RBI double scored the first run of the game. The Lobos scored another run in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. New Mexico added another run in the third inning as Krissy Keene knocked in Marianna Fenelli to give the Lobos a 3-0 lead.

Staked with a three-run lead, Lobo pitcher Amy Dumas did the rest herself. She struck out six Rebel batters and allowed only three hits on the afternoon. UNLV threatened in the fourth, scoring on a Rachel Goodpaster RBI single to cut UNM's lead to 3-1. The Rebels had runners on second and third with two outs, but Dumas struck out UNLV's Melissa Inouye looking to end the threat. Dumas improved her record to 18-7 and won her second game of the tournament. Kacey Ellis (12-12) got the loss for UNLV (12-12), giving up three runs on seven hits.

Rebel pitcher Geney Orris was solid in relief of Ellis, allowing only one hit while striking out six Lobo batters to keep the Rebels in the game.

Chaffee had two hits and one RBI for UNM, and Rachel Wennekamp had two hits in her first start of the tournament for the Lobos.