April 9, 2006
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team (16-28, 2-6 Mountain West) suffered a 1-0 loss in Sunday's game one at Eller Media Stadium to New Mexico (20-18, 1-5), but rebounded for a 4-2 victory in game two. The Lobos notched the lone run of the first game on a solo home run in the fifth inning. In the second game, UNLV put runs up in three different innings to take the win.
In game one, Christie Robinson (5-9) and UNM's Katie Gregg (11-4) held a pitcher's duel through 3.5 innings of play. Only two hits had been registered in that time frame, with the Lobos notching both.
UNLV's best chance to get on the board came in its half of the fourth inning. Brittany Freight opened up the inning with a single up the middle to break up Gregg's no-hit bid. Freight was then thrown out at second on a fielder's choice grounder back to the pitcher hit by Brittany Bolinger. Maggie Livreri reached on a fielding error on a grounder hit to UNM's shortstop. Bolinger went to third on the error. Shannon Crisp loaded the bases with a walk and was pinch run for by Kendall McSwain. Following a strikeout and with Kendall Fearn at the plate, McSwain strayed too far off of first base and was picked off for the third out of the inning.
The Lobos followed in the fifth with the game's lone run. Analise Rubalcava began the inning with an apparent fly out to Freight in center, but an illegal pitch had been called. Rubalcava got a chance at redemption and made her at-bat count as she deposited the next pitch over the left field fence for a home run.
Robinson took the loss in throwing 6.1 innings. She struck out two and walked none. She allowed six hits.
Gregg earned the win, as she shut down the Rebel offense and allowed only one hit, while striking out seven and walking two.
In game two, the Rebels jumped on the board early with a run in the first off of a double by Livreri. Freight came around from second to score the game's first run. Freight began the inning with a walk and was sacrificed over to second by Bolinger.
The Rebels added two more runs in the fourth off of a two-run home run by Fearn. Rosa Ordaz hit a single to left center and came home on Fearn's shot to center.
The Lobos crept within one run in the sixth on a two-run home run by Lindsey Elcess. With one out recorded in the inning, Becky McDonald (2-3) walked Samantha Hughes. Cassie Chavez reached on a fielder's choice when her grounder was fielded by Fearn and Hughes was thrown out at second. Elcess followed with her home run to center field. Following the home run, McDonald left the circle with a 2-2 count on Rubalcava and Crisp closed out the inning by getting a ground out.
McDonald got one of the runs back that she had just given up when she took Jennifer Mendenhall's two-out offering over the left field fence.
McDonald picked up the win in her 5.2 innings of work. She allowed four hits and two runs. She struck out nine and walked one. Crisp earned the save as she closed out the final 1.1 innings and had one strike out.
Caley Peterson suffered the loss for UNM as she threw 3.0 innings. She allowed three runs on four hits, while striking out one and walking two.
Up next for UNLV is a trip to California to play the Aztecs of San Diego State on Saturday, April 15. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm.
