April 1, 2004
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
PROVO, Utah - The UNLV softball team posted its first come from behind win of the season, defeating BYU 6-3 in the opening game of its Mountain West Conference doubleheader on Thursday at Gail Miller Park.
The Cougars (19-10, 1-1) rebounded to win the nightcap, 5-3, and force a split in the league opening doubleheader for both schools.
In Game One, the hosts broke up a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third, scoring a leadoff double by Ashlyn Russell. They then added another run in the fourth on a leadoff triple by Belinda Osborn to take a 2-0 lead against Jacqueline Kerrigan (15-14, 1-0).
The Rebels (18-22, 1-1), who were 0-19 this season when allowing the first run, finally broke through offensively with a two-out rally in the top of the fifth against BYU lefty Ariel Capra (3-2). Bridget Byrne, UNLV's leading hitter carrying a .455 average into the game, started the rally with a single to centerfield. Brittany Freight then smacked a two-bagger down the right field line which pushed Byrne to third. Next, Lisa Sampson moved down to first after getting hit with a pitch to load the bases for Kacey Ellis, the Rebels' top RBI producer. Ellis casually took a pitch to the opposite field which scored two runs and knotted the game.
The rally didn't end there, however, as Morgan Bostwick took a turn, singling to right and driving in Sampson for the go-ahead run. Wendy Godwin then connected for the fifth consecutive Rebel hit and once again load the bases. Things looked promising as Pauline Glenn, the Rebels' home run leader, stepped in. Glenn was hit by a pitch, which forced home the fourth UNLV run of the inning. The rally ended when Godwin was called out for leaving second base early.
BYU struck bak immediately as Russell led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run, cutting the Rebel lead to 4-3. But Kerrigan worked through the rest of the inning with no harm.
Unsatisfied with a one-run lead, UNLV added two more in the top of the sixth. Amber Campbell drew a one-out walk after which BYU replaced Capra with ace Niki Andersen. Byrne then tagged her second hit of the game and pushed Campbell to second. Campbell aggressively took third on an error by the BYU catcher, setting up Freight to lay down the squeeze bunt. Both runners advanced, and Byrne came around to score on a subsequent hit by Sampson.
In all, UNLV pounded out 12 hits in the game. Kerrigan, meanwhile, limited the Cougars to just five hits and struck out five. The top five in the lineup - Byrne, Freight, Sampson, Ellis and Bostwick - all collected two hits apiece.
The nightcap was not as exciting, seemingly over before it began. BYU got to starter Kacey Ellis (2-6, 0-1) early for five runs in the first. It was all the Cougars would get, but it was all they would need.
Andersen (10-3, 1-0), who finished the opener, started the later game in strong fashion, retiring the first three Rebels in order.
The offense started just as effectively. Krystle Chamberlain doubled to begin the game. A sac bunt moved her to third before Ellis walked Russell. That put two aboard for Lauren Watson, who slammed a homer to left center to put the Cougars up 3-0.
The next two hitters, Ianeta Le'I and Kate Walker both doubled before the Rebels brought in sophomore lefty Becky McDonald to pitch.
With the damage done, UNLV tried to steadily chip away at the big BYU lead. It left runners on base in both the second and third innings before finally breaking up the shutout in the fourth. Sampson dropped a bunt single to begin the inning. She moved to second on a textbook bunt by Amy Lewis and wheeled home on a line drive single by Godwin.
The Rebels still trailed 5-1 through five innings, but nevertheless attempted their second come back of the day. Sampson, who went an impressive 4-for-6 on the day, led off the sixth with another hit. Two batters later, Lewis doubled to left field, earning her first career hit and RBI as Sampson crossed the plate.
UNLV plated one last run in the seventh. Amber Campbell hit her team leading third triple of the year and scored on a Byrne slap, but that was all it could manage as BYU finished off the game for a 5-3 win.
Despite the rocky start, UNLV collected seven hits off the Cougars' ace and racked up 19 on the day. McDonald was very sharp in relief, permitting no runs and five hits in just more than five innings. She struck out six.
The Rebels also turned in an errorless day, and made several nice plays in the field, including a catch at the fence by Sampson.
The Rebels continue their league road trip on Friday, April 2, with a pair of games at the University of Utah. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m. MST.
