University of Nevada Las Vegas
Brigham Young*
4/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2003
PROVO, Utah - The UNLV softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader against BYU, falling 9-1 in the opener and 8-0 in the nightcap at Gail Miller Park on Thursday.
The day's play began three-and-a-half hours late after heavy snowfall throughout the night in Provo blanketed the field. But the wait didn't slow down the Cougars (25-8, 3-1), who went right to work in the first inning.
The Rebels (16-25, 2-4) picked up two quick outs before starter Jackie Kerrigan allowed three straight singles to load the bases. That set the table for BYU's Ashlyn Russell, who drove a high pitch to straight-away center for a grand slam.
Kerrigan did a little offensive work in the second, leading off the inning with a single. Kacey Ellis and Bridget Byrne also singled in the inning, loading the bases for Lisa Moses. Moses smacked a ball to shallow left to drive in Kerrigan for the Rebels' only run.
After the home run, Kerrigan retired eight straight batters and struck out the side in the second on nine pitches as UNLV tried to claw its way back from the 4-1 deficit. But it couldn't find much offense as BYU starter Cynthia Fallowfield and reliever Brooke Boyce permitted just one single the rest of the way and forced the Rebels to leave a total of nine runners on base.
In the bottom of the fourth, BYU received three straight walks to load the bases with one out. Milli Jones then singled to drive in one, and Oli Keohohou doubled to center, clearing the bases and putting the Cougars on top 8-1. Two batters later, Lauren Watson delivered the inning's third hit, scoring Keohohou from second and giving BYU the eight-run lead it needed to call the game after five innings.
The sun set as the nightcap began, and temperatures slipped into the low 30s. BYU left Boyce in to handle the pitching duties while the Rebels turned to freshman lefty Becky McDonald.
Again, BYU wasted no time going to work, taking advantage of a leadoff walk by manufacturing the game's first run.
The Cougars kept up the strong hitting performance, pounding out a total of 10 hits and scoring runs in the first, third, fourth, fifth and finally the sixth innings before their 8-0 lead forced the game to end. Keohohou hit a solo home run to deep centerfield in the third
The fourth inning saw BYU push three more runs across courtesy of a bases-loaded double by Kate Walker. The Cougars stretched their lead to 6-0 through five before Watson and Brooke Cadiente each drove in runs to put BYU up 8-0 in the bottom of the sixth.
Boyce completed the game, tossing a four-hit shutout.
With more snow in the forecast for the Salt Lake area, UNLV's doubleheader with Utah originally slated for Saturday afternoon was pushed ahead to Friday and will be played at BYU's Gail Miller Park in Provo, weather permitting.
