Feb. 25, 2005

Final Stats

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - For the second time this season UNLV (9-6) allowed Oklahoma State (9-4) to rally in the late innings. The second meeting of the year between the Rebels and Cowgirls took place at the Palm Springs Classic at Big League Dreams in Cathedral City, Calif. Just like at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic held two weeks ago in Las Vegas, the Cowgirls bats came alive when they needed to and proceeded to steal another victory from the Rebels.

UNLV jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to solo home runs hit by Brittany Meade and Marissa Nichols. Meade cranked her first homer as a Rebel in the fourth inning to right field. Nichols followed in the fifth with her third shot of the season, and second of the day (she hit one earlier in a 6-0 win against Ohio State). Unfortunately, for the Rebels that was all the scoring they would get.

Oklahoma State was held hitless for five innings by Shannon Crisp. Crisp picked up a no-decision in her first career start as a Rebel. Crisp struck out three Cowgirls, while walking two, hitting a batter, and allowing one run.

Crisp's final walk was used against the Rebels as OSU's first run. Jacque Kerrigan (8-5) came into the game in relief of Crisp and gave up a sacrifice bunt to push the leadoff runner into scoring position. A walk put runners at second and first. Courtney Totte came up to the plate with two outs and proceeded to wreck the no-hit bid and the shutout, after a wild pitch advanced the runners up a base. Totte's single up the middle plated both runners and knotted the game up at two.

In the eighth inning, the international tie-breaker was used which automatically places a runner at second base for the hitting team. UNLV was unable to advance the runner, while Oklahoma State used a sacrifice bunt to push the winning run to third. With one out, OSU got a sacrifice fly to win the game and plate the winning run.