March 14, 2007
LAS VEGAS -
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Leading Off: The UNLV softball team split its two games in Fullerton, Calif., on Tuesday night with a loss to #8 Texas and a victory over Fordham. The Rebels will take with them a 20-12 record into the USF-Speedline Invitational. UNLV has been placed into Pool "C" with Rhode Island, Kent State and Long Island. After UNLV concludes its pool play, the Rebels will be seeded into bracket play. South Florida, Dartmouth, Ball State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Princeton, Boston, Buffalo, Florida International, Bowling Green, UT-Chattanooga and George Mason round out the 12-team field.
On Deck: UNLV will continue its adventures away from Eller Media Stadium on March 24-25, in Stockton, Calif. The Rebels will participate in the Pacific SFT Mini Tournament with Sacramento State and Pacific. UNLV will play a total of four games with a matchup against the Hornets and Tigers on each day.
USF-Speedline Invitational Pool "C" Opponents: Kent State Golden Flashes ~ Overall: 7-6 ~UNLV leads the all-time series 2-0, with the last game going to UNLV, 3-0, and being played on March 22, 1991. ~The Golden Flashes head to Tampa, Fla., after going 2-5 in the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament in Hawaii on March 1-3.
Long Island Blackbirds ~ Overall: 7-13 ~UNLV leads the all-time series 5-1, with the last game going to UNLV, 8-4, on March 16, 2005. ~The Blackbirds will stay in Tampa, Fla., after playing to a 2-2 mark in the USF Spring Break Tournament.
Rhode Island Rams ~ Overall: 1-8 ~First meeting between UNLV and Rhode Island. ~The Rams head to Tampa, Fla., after going 1-4 at the Maryland Invitational in College Park, Md.
Hull, Robinson Swipe MWC Weekly Honors: UNLV redshirt freshman Jaci Hull and sophomore right-hander Christie Robinson have been named Mountain West Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. This is the second occurrence this season that the Rebels have swept the weekly awards, as Kendall Fearn and Robinson were honored on Feb. 13.
Hull, from Scottsdale, Ariz., led the Rebels in hitting (.476), hits (10), doubles (2), walks (7), on-base percentage (.607) and assists (16) to help her team to a 6-2 record for the week. She was second on the squad in runs (six), total bases (12), slugging (.571) and steals (2). Hull had two singles and scored two runs in UNLV's upset victory over #17 Oregon and was responsible for the Rebels' first two runs against Miami (Ohio), recording an RBI-single to give her team an early 2-0 lead in the second. She tallied two hits on three occasions against #17 Oregon and Portland State, and managed at least one hit in all but one contest.
Robinson, a Clinton, Wash., native, went 3-1 over the weekend with a 1.65 ERA to lead UNLV to wins over Delaware State, #17 Oregon and Miami (Ohio). She picked up her second save of the season in one inning of relief against Harvard. Facing Delaware State, Robinson kept the Hornets off the scoreboard, allowing just one hit before exiting the game with an 8-0 lead. Against nationally ranked Oregon, she held the Ducks to only one run in UNLV's first win of 2007 over a Top 25 opponent, allowing no walks and striking out five. In UNLV's 8-6 victory over Miami (Ohio), she tossed the middle 3.2 innings allowing only one earned run. Robinson leads the Rebels' pitching staff in ERA (2.16), wins (8), starts (10), complete games (2) and innings (64.2).
This is the fourth career honor for Robinson, while it is the first for Hull. Robinson won pitching honors twice during the 2006 season.
Tuesday's Two Play Recaps: UNLV traveled to Fullerton, Calif., to play a pair of games against #8/8 Texas and Fordham on Tuesday, March 13. The Rebels split the contests at Anderson Family Field located on the campus of Cal State Fullerton.
The Rebels took on Texas first and got off on the wrong foot from the get-go. The Longhorns struck for runs in the first and third runs, but stayed within striking distance until they opened with four runs in the seventh. Texas went on to win 6-0.
Against Fordham, the Rebels maintained a 2-1 lead through the fifth, until the offense erupted for three runs in the sixth. UNLV added two more in the seventh to take a 7-1 lead. The Rams loaded the bases up in the bottom of the seventh and got two across the plate, but that would be it as UNLV would win 7-3.
The Fordham contest was highlighted by offensive efforts by Caitlyn Paus and Heather Slettvet. Paus went 4-for-4 and scored three runs, while Slettvet went 3-for-4 and knocked in four RBI. On the defensive side of the ball, Slettvet picked up her fifth "W" of the season, while tossing 5.1 innings.
