University of Nevada Las Vegas
Louisiana-Monroe
2/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 22, 2003
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team pounded out a season-best 12 hits and Kacey Ellis threw a complete game to give the Rebels a 9-8 victory over Louisiana-Monroe at Eller Media Stadium on Saturday.
Ellis, who collected her first victory of the season, also went 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in a run. She was one of three players to get multiple hits in the game, along with Morgan Bostwick and Wendy Godwin.
Despite the Rebels (8-11) big offense, it was ULM (4-8) who drew first blood. Catcher Casey Goodman belted a single to left, scoring Kristen Baker for the game's first run in the bottom of the first.
UNLV answered right back, getting RBI singles from both Ellis and Carly Petracco in the second to take a 2-1 edge.
The see-saw battle continued as ULM tacked on two in the bottom of the second. A throwing error prolonged the inning, allowing Baker to come to bat with two runners on. She hammered a double to the left center gap to allow both runs to score and put the Indians back on top.
The big inning for UNLV came in the fourth when the first three batters all reached base. With the bases loaded, Bridget Byrne and Joanna Jackson both hit into fielder's choice to rack up two outs. However, Lisa Moses came through in the clutch, driving a ball to deep center for a bases clearing double. She then came around to score on Morgan Bostwick's single, capping a four-run inning.
The Rebs picked up three more runs in the fifth. Petracco drew a walk and came around to score on Joanna Jackson's single. Then Kristie McRae, a walkon freshman from Boulder City making her first career plate appearance, singled to center to drive in two.
Ellis cruised over that span, never surrendering the comfortable lead. She scattered six hits through six innings and never ran into any real trouble until the seventh inning, where UNLV owned a 9-4 edge.
In the seventh, Ellis recorded one out before a single, a walk and a missed opportunity on a fielder's choice loaded the bases. Goodman, the Indians' cleanup hitter, then drove a pitch to straight away center for a grand slam and pulled the Indians with one run.
Ellis was able to survive the scare, ending the ULM rally after the home run and sealing the win, 9-8.
