March 10, 2002

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - Two unearned runs and an impressive pitching performance from freshman Jackie Kerrigan sparked the UNLV softball team to a 2-1 victory over No. 29 Notre Dame on Sunday at Eller Media Stadium.

Kerrigan (4-6) allowed just two hits and one run in her sixth complete game of the year. She retired 11 straight batters before hitting Notre Dame shortstop Andria Bledsoe with her first pitch of the fifth inning. Bledsoe advanced to third on a single and came in to score the Irish's only run one batter later.

Scoreless to that point in the game, the Rebels (12-15) answered immediately with two runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Melissa Inouye singled and Amber Campbell walked to put the go-ahead run on base. Both runners advanced on Carrie Bayless' second sacrifice bunt of the game and came around to score when UND second baseman Alexis Madrid misplayed a choppy ground ball hit by Lisa Moses.

Kerrigan then sat down the next six Irish batters with the help of solid infield defense and a double play.

Notre Dame (6-8) pitcher Carrie Wisen suffered the hard luck loss, giving up just three hits and allowing no earned runs.

The win marks the Rebels' second this year against a team receiving votes in the NFCA Coaches Poll. Notre Dame fell out of the top 25 prior to Sunday's game, but still received 11 votes to check in at 29th. UNLV defeated then-No. 24 Massachusetts, 6-4, on Feb. 9.

The Rebels hit the road next week, heading to Sacramento, Calif., to play in their final tournament of the year, the Capital Classic, from March 14-17.