March 11, 2007
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team (18-11) split its two games Saturday night in the Eller Media Stadium Classic. The Rebels defeated the Miami RedHawks (6-11), 8-6, before dropping the nightcap, 4-2, to the Longwood Lancers (9-5). UNLV sits at 3-2 with one game remaining in the Classic on Sunday against Portland State at 3:45 pm on Sunday.
In game one, the Rebels held a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. That is when things got interesting. Miami's defense allowed UNLV to break open the game at 8-2, but the RedHawks didn't back down as they fought back to nearly tie the game with the winning run at the plate.
UNLV got two early runs in the first two innings on a ground out from Brittany Meade in the first and a single by Jaci Hull in the second. Meade scored Hull from third after she made her way around the bases after taking a walk, a single and a passed ball. Kelli Fangonilo made it 2-0 when she scored from second on Hull's hit.
Miami evened the score at 2-2 with two runs in the third off of three hits. Alexis Javier began the inning with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Leslie Macedo brought Javier home with a single to left. Breanna Robinson knocked Macedo in after she put herself in scoring position by stealing second.
The Rebels got back the two-run cushion in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double by Heather Slettvet. Bri Bernardi and Caitlyn Paus were on base by way of a walk and a single, respectively.
In each team's final at-bats they combined for eight runs, eight hits and five errors. Each team knocked in four runs on four hits, but Miami's defense was responsible for committing four of the five errors.
The Miami defense allowed for UNLV to take a six-run cushion into the top of the seventh, only to see the RedHawks bring the tying run to the plate.
With the score 8-6 and MU with runners on second and third, Slettvet entered the circle in relief of Christie Robinson. Slettvet proceeded to walk her first batter to load the bases. Slettvet got Halle Popson to hit a grounder to Kendall Fearn at first that made the first baseman make a bang-bang play. Fearn was able to dive and tag first before Popson touched safely.
Robinson (8-1) notched the win with 3.2 innings of relief. She allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits. Slettvet earned her second save of the year by getting the final out.
Meredith Linch (3-6) suffered the loss for Miami in 4.0 innings of relief. Linch entered with the game tied 2-2 and gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits. Alex Vikartofsky got the start, but lasted only 2.0 innings after giving up the first two runs.
In game two, the offense only showed up in the fifth inning for UNLV and Longwood.
The Rebels, who were playing as the visitor in the contest, got a two-run home run from Kendall Fearn to take a 2-0 lead. Laura Briones began the inning with her second of two singles on the day. Alyssia De La Torre scored on the home run after entering as a pinch-runner for Briones.
Longwood answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth on five hits. The Lancers got a walk and a single off of Slettvet to put runners at first and second. Robinson then entered the game in relief of Slettvet.
The Lancers moved the runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Nicole Hamill got LU on the board with a single into the hole at short to score Emily Radford from third. A cue-ball single by Krissy Garrison that the Rebels were wishing would roll foul stayed fair loaded the bases. Caitlin Hooe tied the game up with a single to left to score Amy Betterton. Camille Ketsdever delivered the go-ahead single up the middle to bring Hamill home for a 3-2 lead.
With the bases still loaded, Stephanie Bregante was brought into the game and proceeded to walk Ryan Washington to bring home Garrison for an insurance run.
Slettvet earned a no-decision in 4.0 innings of a start. She was responsible for the first two runs by Longwood in the fifth. Robinson (8-2) took the loss in only 0.1 inning of work. Robinson allowed two runs on four hits. Bregante tossed the final 1.2 innings.
Ashley Forsyth (4-2) allowed only seven hits and two runs in a complete-game effort.
There are four games on tap for the Classic on Sunday with Miami and Harvard opening the day at 9:00 am. Harvard will stay and play in game two versus Longwood at 11:15 am. Miami and New Mexico State play the third game of the day at 1:30 pm, while UNLV and Portland State wrap up the Classic at 3:45 pm.
