May 8, 2003

SAN DIEGO - BYU rallied in the late innings, scoring twice in the fifth and four more runs in the sixth to defeat the UNLV softball team 6-0 in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Softball Championship at SDSU Field on Thursday.

The Rebels (20-38) now advance to an elimination round game on Friday where they will face the loser of Thursday night's second-round game.

UNLV starter Jacqueline Kerrigan and BYU hurler Niki Andersen battled to a scoreless deadlock through four innings before the Cougars (34-15) got on the scoreboard behind a solo home run from Oli Keohohou.

The homer ignited a rally for BYU, which tacked on an extra insurance run in the fifth before exploding for four runs in the bottom of the sixth.

On the flip side, the Rebels were unable to generate much offense, collecting just three hits on the morning, all singles. Their best scoring chance came in the fourth inning after Amber Campbell led off with a hit and the Cougars threw away a chance for an out on Morgan Bostwick's subsequent sac bunt. But with two on and nobody out, Andersen escaped the jam by retiring the next three hitters.