March 17, 2007

Final Stats

TAMPA, Fla. - The UNLV softball team (23-12) won both of its games Saturday in the University of South Florida's Speedline Invitational to advance to the championship bracket Sunday after finishing Pool "C" play with a perfect 3-0 record. The Rebels needed extra innings to dispose of Long Island by a score of 5-4 in eight, but only needed five innings to blank Rhode Island, 10-0. LIU falls to 8-14, while URI drops to 1-11 on the season.

In game one, UNLV took a short-lived one-run lead in the bottom of the first with help from back-to-back doubles by Jaci Hull and Kelli Fangonilo. Hull scored on the second double.

Long Island used small-ball tactics to overcome the one-run deficit and take a 2-1 lead in the third. The Blackbirds dropped down three bunts, with only the second recorded as a hit. The first was mishandled on the throw by Kelli Fangonilo, while the third was a sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners into scoring position. A wild pitch uncorked by Heather Slettvet allowed Chelsea Martinson to score and moved Brynn Lewis to third. Vanessa Mejia gave LIU its first lead with an RBI-single down the right field line.

The Blackbirds added a would-be insurance run in the sixth off of two hits. Martinson plated Mariesha Marker on single to center. Marker led off the inning with a single to short and made her way to third with help from a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base.

The Rebels rallied in the bottom of the seventh with two runs on four hits. Hull cut the two-run deficit in half with a solo home run, with one out, to center. Fangonilo hit her second double of the game down the left field line. Brittany Meade moved Fangonilo to third on a single to left. Sandy Nakamura brought Fangonilo home with a single to left.

Going into extra innings the international tie-breaker was put into effect and both teams took advantage of it. LIU moved its runner, Renae Beauchman, from second to third on a sacrifice bunt. Martinson hit a sacrifice fly to right to bring Beauchman home and to give the Blackbirds a 4-3 lead.

Bri Bernardi was the first batter for UNLV in the eighth and dropped down a sacrifice bunt to push Stacey Burgos to third. Brittany Freight evened the score at 4-4 with a single up the middle to knock Burgos home. Freight took second following a walk issued to Hull. Fangonilo came up and hit a ball to short, but Raylene Asman was unable to field it cleanly. Freight wound up scoring the winning run when the ball bounced away fro Asman.

Slettvet (6-3) got the win in 6.2 innings of relief. Slettvet allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits, while striking out five and walking two.

Stephanie Bregante got the ball to start the game, but lasted only 1.1 innings. Bregante struck out one and walked one.

LIU's Blaire Porter took the loss and dropped to 3-9 on the year. Porter gave up one run on one hit in 0.2 innings of work.

Jenny Giles pitched the first 7.0 innings for the Blackbirds. Giles surrendered four runs (three earned) on 11 hits, while striking out two and walking one.

In game two, UNLV waited until the second inning to break the scoreless tie. Rosa Ordaz, who was celebrating her 21st birthday today, got the Rebels on the scoreboard with the first of two solo home runs to center. Paus kept the inning moving with a single to center and then took second on a sacrifice bunt by Bernardi. Paus tagged up to third on a fly to right by Nakamura. Brittany Bolinger plated Paus with a single up the middle.

The Rebels expanded its lead to 9-0 with seven runs in the third. The offense used seven hits and two URI errors to bat around in the inning. Hull began the inning with a single through the right side and then stole second. Fangonilo dropped down a sacrifice bunt and reached base safely on a throwing error by URI's catcher. The throw went into right field and allowed Hull to score. Meade then came up and hit a single to center. Paus loaded the bases when her chopper to second was bobbled by the second baseman. Laura Briones promptly cleared the bases when her pinch-hit grand slam sailed over the right field fence. UNLV then got three consecutive singles by Nakamura, Alyssia De La Torre and Hull to load the bases for the second time in the inning. Fangonilo delivered a single up the middle to score Nakamura and De La Torre.

Ordaz pushed UNLV's lead to 10-0 in the fourth with her second blast of the day.

Christie Robinson and Casey Thompson combined for a one-hit shutout in 5.0 innings of work. Robinson becomes the first Rebel hurler to reach the 10-win plateau, by improving to 10-3 on the year. Robinson gave up URI's only hit to the third batter of the game, but held the Rams' bats lifeless the remained of the game. Thompson entered in the fifth and struck out the side.

Katie Holcomb suffered the loss for URI in 4.0 innings of work. Holcomb gave up 10 runs (four earned) on 12 hits. She struck out four and walked none.

By virtue of winning Pool "C", the Rebels will now play Bowling Green at 9:00 am EST at USF's softball field. If UNLV wins the game, they will play the victor of the USF-Boston matchup at 1:30 pm EST.