April 15, 2007
Final Stats
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The UNLV softball team (30-17 overall, 6-1 MWC) needed extra innings to defeat the Colorado State Rams, 5-3, Sunday afternoon at Ram Field. The Rebels used small-ball tactics to overcome the long ball method used by the Rams (23-20, 2-2). UNLV pounded out 11 hits that stayed in the park for its five runs compared to CSU scoring off of three solo home runs.
The Rebels jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning with help from three singles. Jaci Hull and Kelli Fangonilo began the game with back-to-back singles before Kim Klabough retired two straight. Rosa Ordaz brought Hull in from second with a single through the left side.
CSU evened the score in the second with a home run to right center by Allison Majam to open the Ram's half of the inning off of Christie Robinson.
The Rams forced Robinson's exit in the fourth inning following a walk and a single after she opened the frame with an out. Stephanie Bregante entered the game in relief and proceeded to get the next two batters out to end the threat.
Bregante wasn't so lucky in the fifth when Julia Kloppe and Kim Klabough hit consecutive shots over the left field fence to give the Rams a 3-1 lead.
The Rebels evened things up with three singles and a passed ball. Brittany Bolinger began the offensive with a bunt single and promptly stole second with Kendall Fearn at the plate. Fearn then moved Bolinger to third with a single to second. With runners on the corners, Rosa Ordaz dropped down a successful suicide-squeeze bunt to score Bolinger. Caitlyn Paus then pushed Fearn and Ordaz into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Following a strike out and Sandy Nakamura at the plate, Stacey Leigh was unable to hold onto Klabough's offering and watched as Fearn scored on the passed ball.
CSU loaded the bases in the seventh with a walk and two singles, following two strikeouts to open the inning. Bregante was able to get Brittany Huerta to hit a soft grounder to the circle to end the threat.
In the top of the eighth, Kendall Fearn began the inning with a single up the middle. Fearn took second on Ordaz's sacrifice bunt. Paus came up and hit a pop up to Melissa Routh at second. Routh pitched the ball over to Robyn Mask to double-up Fearn at second.
UNLV got a lead-off single up the middle by Brittany Meade. Bri Bernardi moved Meade to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Klabough got Paus to fly out, she wound up intentionally walking Hull for the second time in the game. Fangonilo stepped up and delivered a two-run double to left to bring home Meade and Hull.
Ashley Munoz re-entered the game for CSU in the bottom of the night and knocked a double to right center. Bregante hunkered down and got the next three batters to foul out, strike out and ground out.
In 5.2 innings of relief work Bregante picked up her 11th win for an overall record of 12-7. She surrendered two runs on five hits, while striking out five and walking one.
Klabough suffered the loss for CSU and falls to 8-7 on the season. She gave up five runs (four earned) on 11 hits. She struck out four, but walked three.
The Rebels stay on the road and travel to Cedar City, Utah on Wednesday to play Southern Utah in a doubleheader. Game one is set for a 1:00 pm MST first pitch.
