Feb. 17, 2003

LAS VEGAS - Following her four-hit shutout of Southern Utah, UNLV pitcher Jackie Kerrigan nearly blanked her second opponent of the day and came away with a 5-2 victory over Hawaii at Eller Media Stadium on Monday.

Kerrigan had allowed just four hits and no runs through five innings, and the Rebels (6-10) scored four times in the third for a comfortable lead.

Ironically enough, it was Kerrigan who kicked off the offensive rally. Hitting in the bottom of the order, the Rebel sophomore led off the third with a long fly ball to left which just cleared the fence for her first career homer.

That shot ignited the Rebel offense. Carrie Bayless drew a one-out walk and stole second. She advanced to third on Lisa Moses' sac bunt, and scored when UH pitcher Shannon Tabion threw the ball away trying to put out Moses. Moses then advanced to second on a Wendy Godwin single and came around to score on Pauline Glenn's base hit to left center. An error on the same play pushed Godwin across the plate also, giving the Rebels a substantial 4-0 edge.

Godwin, who went 3-for-3 in the game, hit her last single in the fifth to score Moses from second and put UNLV up 5-0.

Hawaii (6-6) ended Kerrigan's dreams of back-to-back shutouts when designated player April Crowell led off the sixth with a bomb to right. Subsequently, a single and double in the same inning allowed one more run across before Kerrigan ended the threat with her fifth strikeout of the night.

The win marked the Rebels' first back-to-back victories since a sweep in the season-opening doubleheader against Cal Poly.

The Rebels will enjoy three days' rest before returning to Eller Media Stadium to host a mini-tournament this weekend. UNLV kicks off play against Syracuse at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21.