March 30, 2006

Final Stats

Provo, Utah - The UNLV softball team (15-24) dropped a pair of games at BYU (20-10) in Provo, Utah on Thursday night. The Rebels fell behind early in game one, but pulled within two at 8-6 before succumbing to the Cougars 13-7. Game two was a tight affair through four innings of play until BYU's offense opened the flood gates and plated six runs in the fifth and two more in sixth for a 9-1 run-ruled finish.

In game one, BYU jumped out to an 8-1 lead after two innings of play, but saw UNLV cut the deficit to two runs, 8-6, before finishing the game off at 13-7. The Cougars out-hit the Rebels 16-to-13. Only two players in the game, that registered an official at-bat, did not reach safely due to a hit. BYU committed three errors to UNLV's one.

BYU scored runs in all but the third inning, with three in the first, five in the second, one in the fourth and two runs in the fifth and sixth innings. UNLV scored one in the second, three in the third, two in the fourth and a single run in the seventh.

In the first, BYU plated three off of four hits. Back-to-back singles, a sacrifice bunt and a walk loaded the bases for a two-run single by Paige Paramore. After the second out of the inning was recorded, Lindi Kennedy brought home the third run on a single to left.

UNLV got one run back in the second off of a strange play. Shannon Crisp and Kendall Fearn hit back-to-back singles and were moved to third on a ground out by Rosa Ordaz. Caitlyn Paus came up and grounded into a fielder's choice play. The ball was thrown to the plate and caught Crisp in a rundown. Crisp made it back to third safely, but Fearn was thrown out at going back to second base. After tagging out Fearn, BYU's Jodi Norton overthrew her pitcher and the ball rolled to UNLV's side of the backstop. The error allowed Crisp to score.

In BYU's half of the third, six hits and one UNLV error helped the Cougars to an 8-1 lead. A double and a single put runners on for Ianeta Le'i's two-run single. With Le'i and Ashyln Russell on base, Cortney Nix cranked a three-run home run to left center.

The Rebels pulled within four after getting three on three this hits and one BYU error. Britney Hillyer singled to open the inning and took third on a single by Brittany Freight. Brittany Bolinger hit a grounder to second which was booted and brought Hillyer home. Freight and Bolinger took an extra base on the throw to third. Crisp brought both runners home with a single.

UNLV closed within two after their half of the fourth on two hits and one error. Bri Bernardi walked and moved up a base on Lauren von Holst's pinch-hit single. Bolinger hit into a fielder's choice to the shortstop, but the throw to get Hillyer, who had re-entered for von Holst, was wide. With the bases loaded, Maggie Livreri singled home two runs.

BYU opened up the game after letting UNLV back in with five runs scattered over their final three innings.

Becky McDonald (1-1) suffered the loss for UNLV as she got the start. She came back into the game to close it out after Christie Robinson's relief stint.

Brooke Boyce-Humber (5-1) took the win as she relieved Summer Tobias in the fourth inning. Boyce-Humber threw the final 3.2 innings and allowed only one run, while giving up six hits.

In game two, BYU struck early with a run in the bottom of the first inning. A walk and a single put the first two runners on and a fielder's choice and a ground out brought the first run home. The game stayed at 1-0 until BYU scored six runs in the fifth off of five hits and one Rebel error.

The Rebels broke Daniella Urincho's shut out bid in the sixth with a run on a hit and an error. Maggie Livreri hit a hard grounder to Andrea Ramirez that jumped up and hit the shortstop in the face. Following a walk to Fearn, Rosa Ordaz singled to left to score Livreri.

BYU ended the game early by scoring two runs in the sixth and putting the eight-run rule into effect. With runners in scoring position Emi Snow doubled down the left field line to score the eighth and ninth runs.

Crisp (7-12) took the loss as she allowed nine runs (five earned) on nine hits. She struck out six and walked eight.

Urincho (7-4) went the distance for BYU and allowed only three hits and one run (unearned). She struck out four and walked three.

Up next for UNLV is a doubleheader in Salt Lake City against Utah. First pitch is scheduled for noon PST.