University of Nevada Las Vegas
Utah*
4/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2003
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team was swept in both ends of its Mountain West Conference doubleheader against Utah on Friday, falling 8-4 and 9-0 to the Utes at Eller Media Stadium.
The Rebels (18-31, 2-8 MWC) got off to a good start on the day and took a 1-0 lead on Wendy Godwin's first homer of the year, an opposite-field shot in the bottom of the second inning.
That gave starter Becky McDonald a lead to work with, which she maintained until the fifth. She scattered just two singles before Utah's Ivette Hernandez led off the fifth with a double to left. Hernandez took third on a single by Sarah Lyman, and the Utes tied the game at one on a line drive by Jackie Wong.
But the pitchers' duel between McDonald and Utah starter Jen Pursell ended after the fifth. McDonald struggled in the sixth, allowing the first five batters to hit safely. After three consecutive doubles put Utah (16-19, 5-3 MWC) on top 5-1, the Rebels turned to Kacey Ellis in relief. Ellis got the first two batters she faced, but gave up a walk before Melissa Stahnke hammered a three-run shot to put Utah up 8-1.
The Rebels rallied in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of a fielding error and a pair of singles. With the bases loaded, Melissa Bruechert drilled a double past the right fielder which cleared the bases and cut the Ute lead to 8-4. Bruechert was left stranded at second, however, and the Rebels never got another scoring chance.
McDonald earned the start in the nightcap, also, and fell behind early when Utah's Niki Hayhurst belted a solo home run with two out.
McDonald settled and held the Utes quiet until the fifth. But Utah pitcher Heather Bowling was equally sharp, scattering three hits over five innings.
Utah improved its lead to 2-0 in the fifth with three straight singles to lead off the inning. Hayhurt delivered the third and crucial hit, scoring Jackie Wong for her second RBI of the game.
Again, the Rebels looked to Ellis in relief, but Utah could not be kept from its big inning. With two outs and a runner on, Utah began a rally that included five hits, a double, two walks and a fielding error that led to seven runs in the inning.
With a 9-0 lead, the Utes needed only to hold UNLV scoreless in the bottom of the sixth to record the victory.
The Rebels return to the park on Saturday when they host BYU in a conference doubleheader slated for 12 noon at Eller Media Stadium.
