March 5, 2004
Box Score
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Jacqueline Kerrigan tossed a two-hit shutout as the UNLV softball team defeated Hofstra, 1-0, at the Speedline Invitational at the Eddie C. Moore Complex on Friday.
Kerrigan (9-7) hurled her third straight shutout and second in tournament play. The Rebels' ace has not allowed a run in more than 24 innings and given up just one run in her last 35 innings in the circle.
The win marked the second straight 1-0 win for UNLV (10-10), but the Rebels needed only seven innings this time and enjoyed a lead throughout the game.
Brittany Freight drove a single to center with one out, then moved to second on a groundout by Lisa Sampson. Kacey Ellis followed with a single to right, and as Freight rounded third, it was apparent that the play at the plate would be close. Freight slid in underneath the blocked plate just before the throw arrived to score the game's only run.
The Rebels collected three more hits over the next two innings before Pride starting pitcher Adrienne Clark settled down, retiring the last 12 hitters she faced.
Hofstra (5-8) could not do anything offensively, however, as Kerrigan controlled the game from the circle. The Pride's best scoring threat came in the second after a single and a walk put two aboard. But Morgan Bostwick turned a nice play at second base to escape the jam.
After that, Kerrigan sat down nine straight before surrendering her second hit, a single to right in the fifth. But with two outs, the hit went nowhere as Kerrigan forced the last batter to ground out and end the inning.
Hofstra had one last look in the seventh. After recording the first two outs, Stefanie Kenney reached on shortstop Amber Campbell's fielding error, the Rebels' first of the tournament. Hailey Clark then drew a walk to put two aboard. But Campbell redeemed herself on the next batter, moving far behind the second base bag to rob Hofstra of a possible game-tying hit and dove to tag the second base bag before the runner arrived.
The win gave the Rebels a three-game winning streak and put them at .500 for the first time since Feb. 7. UNLV continues tournament play at 3:00 p.m. ET against Tennessee Tech.
