May 3, 2002

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Senior Arica Painter blasted the first home run of her career and Melissa Inouye hit an RBI-single to score the game winner as the UNLV softball team rolled to its fifth straight win on Friday, turning back UC Riverside, 6-1, at the UCR Softball Field.

Stepping out of conference play for a single game against the Highlanders (11-42), UNLV (28-31) tallied its first hit and first run of the game when Painter led off the third with her solo shot to left. Connecting with a 1-2 pitch, the Mililani, Hawaii, native left no doubt that ball would clear the left field fence, marking the first-ever home run for the senior in 227 career at bats.

Despite the surprising homer, UCR immediately rallied with the tying run in the bottom of the inning. The Highlanders delivered four straight singles from the top of the order, but could only push one run across before Rebel starter Kacey Ellis recorded the third out.

UNLV went back to work in the fourth, leading off the inning with back-to-back singles by Pauline Glenn and Morgan Bostwick. That set up more Mililani magic as Inouye extended her team-best hitting streak to 11 games with a single to center that scored Glenn.

Although the Rebels failed to score again in the inning, that proved to be the last run they would need. Ellis cruised through the last four innings, allowing only a two-out walk while retiring 13 of the last 14 batters she faced.

UNLV held its 2-1 lead until the seventh before getting to UCR pitcher Jenell Jackson for four insurance runs. Consecutive throwing errors allowed two unearned runs to score, and senior Geney Orris smashed her 13th homer of the year, a two-run shot, to cap the scoring.

Riding a five-game winning streak, the Rebels need just one more victory to match their longest streak of the year. Only a doubleheader with San Diego State on Saturday, May 4, remains on the regular season schedule.