April 26, 2002
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team posted its first ever sweep of a Mountain West Conference opponent on Friday, defeating New Mexico in both games of their doubleheader, 6-5 and 4-2 at Eller Media Stadium.
The Rebels (25-31, 5-7) used big and timely hitting, pounding out 20 hits on the evening. Two of those - a clutch two-out RBI single by Kacey Ellis in the opener and a three-run homer over the left field fence in the nightcap - broke ties and led to UNLV victories.
UNLV held a 4-0 lead throughout most of the first game, courtesy of a first-inning, three-run shot to center by Geney Orris and a manufactured run in the second. But the lead quickly evaporated when the Lobos' Tiffani Chambers hit a grand slam in the top of the sixth to tie the game at four.
The Rebels immediately reclaimed the lead as Ellis singled to leadoff the bottom of the inning and came around to score after a sac bunt, a groundout and a Lobo fielding error.
The Lobo (14-24-1, 6-7) comeback attempt was not finished, however. A second home run, a solo shot by Cassie Chavez to lead off the seventh, evened the score once again.
Hoping to avoid extra innings for the second straight game, UNLV's bats got hot again. Orris led off the inning with a single and moved into scoring position on a hit by Morgan Bostwick. Melissa Inouye then delivered what appeared to be the game-winner, but Orris was nabbed on a bang-bang play at the plate after a perfect strike from UNM centerfielder Kelly Glass.
However, the out was only the second of the inning, and on the play, Bostwick advanced all the way to third. That made it easy for her to score on Ellis' fourth hit of the day, a drive to right that sealed the 6-5 win.
Despite hitting the game winner and pitching five scoreless innings as the starting pitcher, Ellis was unable to record the victory after the Lobos tied the game in the sixth. Orris (7-7), instead, was rewarded by the Rebels' offense with her seventh win of the year and third in league play. Amy Dumas (4-8) took the loss.
Freshman pitcher Jackie Kerrigan earned the start in the evening's late game and turned in her best performance since winning three games at the Capital Classic in Sacramento, Calif., last month. Jackie the K struck out nine batters and allowed just a single earned run on 11 Lobo hits to notch her ninth victory this season.
Kerrigan had help at the plate as two home runs accounted for all of UNLV's scoring. Bostwick led off the second inning with a solo bomb, her third of the year, but it was a three-run shot by Glenn in the fifth that broke up a 1-1 tie and propelled the Rebels to their first conference sweep in more than three years.
Hayley Punter (8-10) held the Rebs to just seven hits in the nightcap and struck out seven batters, but the two home runs earned her the loss.
Bostwick, Ellis and Bridget Byrne were the Rebels' big hitters on the evening, each collecting four hits over both games. Kelly Glass, Michelle Carter and Brooke Chaffee each did the same for UNM.
The Rebels will close out the home portion of their 2002 schedule this Sunday, April 28 when they host Colorado State in a 12 noon doubleheader at Eller Media Stadium. A short Senior Day ceremony will be held prior to the games, which will be broadcast throughout Las Vegas on KSHP 1400 AM and worldwide on unlvrebels.com.
