March 21, 2002

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Kacey Ellis threw a complete-game three hitter and the UNLV softball team pounded out a season-best 16 hits in a 10-1 five-inning victory in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Southern Utah on Thursday.

The Rebels (17-18) rebounded from a 9-6 loss in the opening game with their best hitting performance of the year, collecting at least two hits in every inning and matching their season-high with 10 runs scored.

Ellis (4-2), meanwhile, won her second straight start and struck out six Thunderbirds (11-15). The Rebels made just one error defensively and spread the offense around as every player in the lineup got at least one hit. It was the first victory for the Rebels in less than seven innings.

In the doubleheader's opener, SUU overcame a 6-2 deficit to pull out a 9-6 win against UNLV's Jackie Kerrigan (7-8).

The Thunderbirds struck first, scoring twice in the bottom of the first. But the Rebels answered the call in the third, tying the game on a two-run double by Geney Orris and taking a 4-2 lead on SUU fielding error.

The Rebels stretched the lead to 6-2 before SUU rallied with the game's biggest inning. A walk, a single and an error loaded the bases up for Lacee LePrey, whose fourth home run of the year knotted the score at six.

SUU kept the offense rolling, using two singles and a double to push the winning runs across in the bottom of the sixth.

That was all LePrey (5-6) needed. She retired eight of nine Rebels after the home run to seal the victory for SUU.

Six different Rebels produced three hits on the day, led by a 3-for-5 performance by Carrie Bayless. Orris drove in four runs on 3-for-8 hitting.

UNLV returns to the road this weekend, heading to Oregon for a five-game, five-day trip.