April 21, 2002

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - Twice the UNLV softball team was beaten in the game's final at bat on Sunday as the Rebels dropped both games of their doubleheader at Utah, 11-10 and 6-5.

The day was a marathon for both teams. Already, the games were being played two days later than their originally scheduled date of Friday, April 19. Then both teams combined for 21 hits and 23 hits, pressing the first game of the twin bill to just over three hours before the Utes (22-31, 9-3) capped their come-from-behind rally with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

By comparison, the game was short. The nightcap was even longer, finishing in 3:30 before Utah's magic prevailed again, this time in the bottom of the 11th innings.

The Rebels (23-31, 3-9) found plenty of comfort in the long ball on the day, using four blasts to keep themselves within striking distance of Utah.

In the opener, Utah rolled out to a quick lead, scoring six times on five hits in the first two innings. A three-RBI double by Niki Hayhurst forced UNLV to relieve starter Nicole Truax with Jackie Kerrigan.

Kerrigan promptly sat down eight straight batters while the offense scrapped its way back into the game. A four-run fifth innings, highlighted by Amber Campbell's double and singles by Kacey Ellis, Lisa Moses and Geney Orris, cut the Utes' lead to two.

Utah stretched its lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-RBI double by pitcher Heather Bowlin, but the Rebels struck back again. Pauline Glenn led of the sixth with a double, and later scored on Ellis' second base hit. Two batters later, with two out and two on, Utah second baseman Kelcy Lewis misplayed a ball hit by Bridget Byrne, keeping the Rebels alive.

With the bases loaded, UNLV head coach Shan McDonald called on the Rebels' top pinch hitter, Wendy Godwin. Godwin fell behind in the count 0-2 before launching her first career home run over the left-centerfield fence and putting the Rebels on top for the first time in the game, 9-8.

UNLV quickly erased the side, then went up 10-8 as Glenn led off the seventh with a solo shot to opposite field, her ninth of the year. That prompted Utah to bring in pitcher Jen Pursell, who finished the Rebel batters in the seventh.

On the heels of the UNLV recovery, Utah answered with its own fireworks in the bottom of the final inning. Back-to-back singles by Lewis and Angie Kenney brought the go-ahead run to the plate for the Utes. A sacrifice attempt by Utah's Tacy Keller was thrown away by Kerrigan, which allowed one runner to score, one to reach third and Keller to reach first safely.

Kerrigan struck the next batter out before intentionally walking Molly McLean, loading the bases for the Utes. Masie Ota then battled Kerrigan at the plate before delivering an RBI single to left to score the tying run. Lindsey Trevis repeated the trick, singling up the middle to drive in the Utes' 11th and game-winning run.

Neither the offense nor the heroic finishes stopped after the first game. Utah again drew first blood, scoring once in the second on three singles and twice more in the third on a home run by Utah shortstop Melissa Stahnke.

The two teams traded runs over the next three innings, giving Utah a 4-1 lead heading into the seventh. However, Orris' pitching was getting stronger as the game progressed, and at the plate, she almost single-handedly kept the Rebels playing. Campbell and Byrne both singled to begin the rally. A sacrifice bunt by Bayless advanced the runners to second and thirdbefore Moses grounded out to short for the second out. Orris then took the Rebels down to their last pitch, facing a full count before crushing a three-run blast over the left-field fence to knot the game at four and force extra innings.

Pitching took over once the score was tied. After her home run, Orris returned to the circle where she retired eight straight and 10 of 12, allowing only a pair of walks. Pursell was equally sharp, also sitting eight in a row after the home run. But the ninth hitter brought the lineup full circle, and Orris returned to the plate in the 10th inning. And, just as she kept her team alive in the seventh, she again took it upon herself to spark the Rebs She hit her second consecutive homer, a solo shot to right center that put UNLV up 5-4, its first lead of the game.

Just when it seemed that Orris had dispelled the Utah magic once and for all, an unlikely hero emerged. After one out, left fielder Tracy Keller, hitting in the eighth spot in the order, connected with the first pitch she saw for a solo home run of her own, and again the score was even.

That shot sent the game into the 11th inning, two innings more than the Rebels' longest game of the year. There, Utah finally ended the three-and-a-half-hour marathon with timely hitting from the meat of its order. Ota singled, Trevis doubled and Stahnke was intentionally walked to load the bases for Hayhurst. The Ute first basemen hit a long fly ball to center for the first out of the inning and a sacrifice fly, allowing the speedy Ota to score easily from third and end the game.

Despite two losses over seven hours of softball, the Rebels came from behind twice on the day and had several key performances in the lineup. Godwin's homer marked the second straight game in which she delivered a pinch hit to give UNLV a lead and was the Rebels' second grand slam this year. Orris, despite losing her seventh game of the year, homered twice in a game for the first time since belting two against Southern Utah last season, and went 4-for-7 on the day with six RBI. Morgan Bostwick went 4-for-5 at the plate in the nightcap and hit .444 for the day.

The Rebels return to Las Vegas for their final home games of the 2002 season. They host New Mexico on Friday, April 26.at 5:00 p.m. before closing the home slate against Colorado State on Sunday, April 28 at 12 noon with pregame ceremonies honoring UNLV's four seniors will begin at 11:30 a.m.