University of Nevada Las Vegas
San Diego State*
4/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2003
SAN DIEGO - The UNLV softball team went to extra innings in both ends of its conference doubleheader against San Diego State before losing both games in the final at-bat at SDSU Field on Saturday.
In the opener, the Aztecs (28-14, 6-0 MWC) pushed the game's only run across in the bottom of the 10th for a 1-0 victory before stealing the nightcap 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth.
The Rebels (18-27, 2-6 MWC) received another excellent pitching performance from freshman Becky McDonald in the opener. Despite not starting the game, the lefty tossed nearly nine innings of shutout ball before SDSU's Joann Figueroa drove in the game winner.
McDonald entered the game in the top of the second inning after Rebel starter Jacqueline Kerrigan left the game with a broken nose. In her first at bat, Kerrigan fouled a 1-1 pitch back at an awkward angle and right into her nose. McDonald finished the at bat with a strikeout, but went right to work from the circle in the bottom of the second.
Over the next six innings, McDonald scattered just four hits and never allowed a runner to get past second base. But the Rebel offense was held just as quiet, producing just four scattered singles.
Good defense bailed the Rebels out in the bottom of the eighth after back-to-back singles with one out put the winning run at third. SDSU's Erin Mahoney grounded to shortstop Sam Sardinha, who made a spot-on throw to home for the second out. McDonald then forced a pop out to the next batter to end the threat.
Despite the pitching and defense, UNLV could get no runs, and the Aztecs finally took advantage in the 10th. Bianca Cruz hit a one-out double and came around to score two batters later on a single to left, ending McDonald's string of 15 consecutive scoreless innings.
After taking 10 innings to score a run, the Aztecs got an early start in the late game, converting a leadoff single into a 1-0 lead against Rebel starter Kacey Ellis.
The Rebels battled against Aztec ace Bre DeSanta, and finally rattled her in the sixth. Morgan Bostwick led off the inning with a single to center, her second hit of the day. Kira Enlow came into pinch run, and advanced to second on a Lisa Moses sac bunt. Wendy Godwin then delivered the biggest hit of the day, a towering shot to shallow left center that split the fielders and resulted in an RBI double. Kristie McRae then came in to run for Godwin, and gave the Rebels their only lead of the day on a two-out rip to right by Ellis.
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Aztecs bounced back in the bottom of the inning. After one out, catcher Danielle Touhey hit a tough ball up the middle that was scored an error. Bree Boyer followed with a single before Cruz smacked a ball into center to score the tying run.
However, the Rebels used the play to their advantage, again using great defense to escape a jam. The throw from center on Cruz's hit was cut off by Melissa Bruechert, who fired to third and caught Boyer in a rundown. As she was tagged, Sardinha nabbed Cruz with a quick throw to second for an inning-ending double play.
The run proved to force extra frames for the second time on the afternoon. Both teams went unproductive in the seventh, but the Rebels got what looked to be a solid chance in the eighth. Bostwick drew a leadoff walk to kick things off. Moses then hit into a fielder's choice that erased Bostwick, but while the defense was napping, Moses snuck into second. In a controversial call, she was declared out for leaving first base early, and the Rebel threat was eliminated.
It was the last chance UNLV would get as SDSU finished the game in similar fashion to the opener. Jacque Vaca led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice. Touhey then drove a ball to left field in almost the same spot as the first game's winning hit, and Vaca motored in from second to lift SDSU to a 3-2 win.
The Rebels return to Las Vegas for an eight-game home stand, its last of the year. It begins on Wednesday, April 16, with a rematch of last Thursday's opponent, UC Riverside. The doubleheader will begin at 1:00 p.m.
