April 28, 2002

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team came from behind twice on Sunday to win both games of its doubleheader against Colorado State, 10-4 and 2-1 at Eller Media Stadium.

The sweep looked doubtful for the Rebels (27-31, 7-7), who trailed 1-0 through five innings in the nightcap. But late-inning heroics by Pauline Glenn and Wendy Godwin allowed runs to score in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to give the Rebs a 2-1 victory.

UNLV also trailed in the day's opening game, falling behind 3-0 before exploding for five runs in the fifth and five in the sixth for its most impressive day at the plate in a home game this year.

The win was equally special for four Rebel seniors, who all contributed to the victories in their final home games. The pitching tandem of Nicole Truax and Geney Orris both notched complete game victories, and Melissa Inouye and Arica Painter produced key hits at the plate.

UNLV got off to a slow start on the day, collecting just four hits off CSU starter Megan Masser in the opener. Meanwhile, the Rams (17-27, 4-11) used a three-hit second inning to drive in the game's first run and tacked on two more on a sacrifice fly and a pair of fifth-inning singles.

A two-out rally ensued for the Rebels in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff single by Amber Campbell and a walk by Lisa Moses set up Orris to tie the game, belting her team-leading 12th home run of the year to knot the game at three.

The rally didn't end there, however. A dropped fly ball by Ram right fielder Katie Koch and a Morgan Bostwick single put two runners on for Inouye, who smacked her second double of the day to the wall, scoring the go-ahead runs.

UNLV continued the offensive onslaught in the sixth, scoring five more runs on four hits. A leadoff double by Arica Painter forced the Rams to call in pitcher Melanie Mahoney. Mahoney surrendered a single to Bridget Byrne before getting the inning's first two outs. A decision to intentionally walk Orris backfired as Glenn singled to score two more and Bostwick hit her fourth home run of the yea to cap the scoring.

Truax improved to 5-7 on the year, giving up 10 hits and just two earned runs while fanning four.

The pitching heated up in the late game. Masser, in her second start of the day, allowed just four singles through the first five innings and let no Rebel past second base. Orris didn't surrender a hit until the fourth, but allowed three straight singles in the fifth to give up the game's first run.

The Rams' clung to the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth. Leading off the inning, Byrne quickly moved into scoring position after a walk and a stolen base. She moved to third on Moses' single, and with runners at the corners, CSU chose to intentionally walk Orris for the second time on the afternoon. And, for the second time, Glenn made them pay, delivering a clutch hit to score Byrne from third.

In the seventh, a pair of pinch hitters took the game into their own hands. Kira Enlow came into the game to lead off the seventh and connected with an 0-2 pitch for a single up the middle. Then, as Painter hit into a fielder's choice, Enlow beat the throw to second, and everybody was safe. Byrne laid down her 15th sacrifice of the year to advance the runners, and the Rebels called upon Wendy Godwin to pinch hit for Carrie Bayless. For the third time in the last seven games, Godwin delivered in the pinch, singling up the middle to score the game winner.

The wins marked the third and fourth straight for the Rebels, who hadn't ever swept a Mountain West Conference doubleheader before taking two from New Mexico on Friday. With four wins on the weekend, the Rebels improve to 7-7 in league play and climb from sixth place to third.

UNLV goes on the road to close the regular season next week with a single game at UC Riverside on Friday, May 3 and a season-ending doubleheader at San Diego State on Saturday, May 4.