March 19, 2004

Box Score

FULLERTON, Calif. - The UNLV softball team out hit No. 4 Florida State but left 12 runners on base in a 2-1 eight-inning loss to the Seminoles at the Kia Classic on Friday.

The Rebels (16-17) had base runners in all but one inning, but could not push more than a single run across against FSU starter Casey Hunter (18-1). And on the other side, UNLV turned out an errorless game for pitcher Jacqueline Kerrigan (13-13), who gave up just four hits.

The biggest of those four hits came in the fifth inning and put the first run on the board. Kerrigan was working on a one-hitter and had retired 10 straight batters before Beth Wade led off the fifth with a solo homer to left field.

UNLV tried to earn the run back in the bottom of the fifth after back-to-back singles by Bridget Byrne and Brittany Freight started the inning. But with two runners on, Hunter struck out the next two hitters and forced Morgan Bostwick into a pop out to end the threat.

The Rebels went back to work in the sixth, and finally got some help by a couple of Seminole fielding mistakes. With one out, Kerrigan hit a routine grounder back to the pitcher, but Hunter's putout attempt sailed high, and Kerrigan represented the tying run. Brittany Hillyer then grounded to the second baseman, but the easy put out was dropped at second by FSU shortstop Kim Hoffer, sparing Kerrigan a second time. Amber Campbell struck out for the second out, but Byrne kept the rally alive with her third hit of the game, a high chopper to short. Finally, the Rebels scored, breaking a 20-inning scoreless streak when Freight drew a bases-loaded walk. However, UNLV left three on base as Lisa Sampson struck out to end the inning, the ninth victim of Hunter.

Kerrigan began a new streak of outs, sitting another 11 straight. FSU went down in order in both the sixth and seventh as Kerrigan cashed in her sixth strikeout of the game.

Likewise, the Rebels went in order in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.

Florida State moved quickly in the eighth, taking advantage of its free runner at second under the international tiebreaker rule. A sac bunt moved Carly Brieske to third, and she raced in to score on a wild pitch.

FSU then turned to the bullpen, lifting Hunter in favor of Jessica van der Linden. With one final chance to shock the fourth-ranked Seminoles, UNLV had run out of hits, striking out twice and popping up to end the game.

The loss marked the Rebels' first in four extra-inning games this season. UNLV also played the game without starting third baseman Pauline Glenn, who left the team to tend to a family emergency. Amy Lewis made her first career start in place of Glenn.

Byrne, the Rebels' top hitter and reigning Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, continued to stay hot with a 3-for-4 game at the plate.

With three straight losses in the tournament, UNLV took the No. 4 seed from Pool A. It will meet the top seed from Pool D, No. 1 Arizona, at 5:00 p.m. at the Titan Softball Complex. Arizona represents the fourth consecutive top-25 opponent for the Rebels.