April 15, 2006

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team (17-30, 2-8 MWC) lost both games of its doubleheader at the SDSU Softball Stadium on the campus of San Diego State Saturday afternoon. Game one went down to the wire as the Aztecs won a tight 3-2 affair with a play at the plate to end the game. The second game went SDSU's way from the start as they held a 5-0 advantage until the Rebels got a two-run home run to make the final score 5-2.

In game one, the Rebels evened things up in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run by Shannon Crisp. The Aztecs took a 1-0 lead in the third and added another run in the fourth to push out to a 2-0 margin. The game was decided in the bottom of the seventh on a one-out single to centerfield, which scored the winning run.

Crisp got the start for the Rebels and was in the circle when the game ended. She threw 3.1 innings and gave up four hits and two runs. Becky McDonald (2-4) took the loss as she threw 3.0 innings and was on the hook for the winning run. McDonald entered in the fourth with a runner on. She closed out the inning and pitched until the eventual winning run reached base.

SDSU scored the first run of the game in the third. With one our, Tamani Wells walked and took second when Erin Floros was plunked by a pitch. Both runners moved up a base on Megan McDonald's sacrifice bunt. Monica Alnes was intentionally walked to load the bases. Taryin Casillas brought the first run home with a single to the hole at short. Maggie Livreri dove to stop the ball and flipped it late to Caitlyn Paus, who was covering second. Paus fired home and caught Floros in an attempt to score on the play for the third out.

In the fourth, Chrissie Markham began the inning with a triple to left center. Crisp was removed from the circle for McDonald. Allison Smith then hit a sac fly to center, which scored plated a pinch-running Melissa Owens.

UNLV knotted the score at 2-2 on Crisp's two-run shot over the right field fence in the sixth. Livreri began the inning with a walk.

With the scored tied in the bottom of the seventh, Wells opened the inning with a single to left. McDonald re-entered the circle following the single. Wells was sacrificed to second on a bunt attempt by Floros. SDSU's McDonald then came up and dropped a single into left center. Bri Bernardi fielded the ball and threw home. Wells slide underneath Britney Hillyer's tag attempt and was called safe.

The Rebels had their chances as they left seven runners on base to the Aztecs' nine.

Celena Velasquez (7-3) earned the win as she tossed the seventh inning in relief Christina Ross.

In game two, SDSU scored three in the second and single runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 5-0 lead. The Rebels finally got on the board in the top of the seventh when Sandy Nakamura came up as a pinch hitter and cranked a two-run shot over the right field fence.

In the second inning, four hits and two Rebel errors contributed to the games first three runs. Monica Alnes began the inning by reaching second on a single and an error. A single by Casillas to right pushed Alnes to third. Casillas stoled second prior to Owens taking a walk. A ground out scored Alnes, while a two-run single scored the other two runs.

SDSU pushed its lead to three and then four-runs after the fourth inning.

The game remained 5-0 before Nakamura's two-run home run. Rosa Ordaz began the seventh with a double to right center. Nakamura followed and belted Velasquez's offering over the fence.

Christie Robinson (5-10) took the loss as she threw the opening 4.2 innings. She gave up seven hits and four runs, while striking out three.

Velasquez (8-3) picked up her second win of the day. She went the distance in game two. She allowed seven hits, but struck out 10.

Up next for the Rebels is a trip to the eastern half of the conference next weekend. UNLV will travel to Albuquerque, N.M. and Fort Collins, Colo., to take on the New Mexico Lobos and Colorado State Rams, respectively.