April 18, 2007
CEDAR CITY, Utah - The UNLV softball team (31-18) split its doubleheader in Cedar City, Utah against Southern Utah (19-25) on Wednesday afternoon. The Rebels took game one by a 12-11 margin, but dropped game two 12-9. The games were played in cold and windy conditions at Kathryn Berg Field on SUU's campus.
It turned out being a good day for the hitters, but not so much for the hurlers. The teams combined for 42 runs and 50 hits. Of those 50 hits, seven went out of the park, two were triples and eight were doubles. UNLV hit at a .422 clip, while SUU hit slightly better at .424.
In game one, the score was tied 11-11 heading into the seventh inning. Rosa Ordaz put UNLV up for good with its 12th run of the game on a triple off of the fence in center field. Kendall Fearn scored on the hit after reaching base on a base-on-balls.
The Rebels began the game with two runs in its half of the first inning with help from four hits. Jaci Hull began the game with a single to center and then stole second. Kelli Fangonilo knocked a double to left center to bring Hull home. Ordaz came up with two out and hit a single down the left field line to score Fangonilo.
SUU scored three runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a three-run home run by Erin Niederhauser.
The Rebels evened the score at 3-3 when Brittany Bolinger hit a single to third to score Brittany Freight from third. Freight got on base on a single to left. She then stole second and took third on a throwing error by the SUU catcher.
The Thunderbirds used the long ball in the third to take a 6-3 lead. Marci Pratt cranked a two-run shot to score herself and Cassie Cresswell. Bobbi Jo Merrill knocked in the third run of the frame with a single up the middle.
UNLV took its first lead of the game with six runs in the fourth. Fangonilo began the run-scoring barrage with a single before stealing second. Bolinger hit the ball through the left side to score Fangonilo. Following a walk to Fearn, Ordaz hit a bloop single to right to load the bases. Brittany Meade stepped up following the second out and hit a double to right to empty the bases. Bri Bernardi brought Meade home with a single to left and then came around to score on a double to left center by Freight.
SUU cut the deficit to one at 9-8 with two runs in the fifth. Merrill hit a two-run shot to score Lindi Kennedy from second.
The Rebels got those two runs back in the sixth with a two-run home run by Bernardi. Meade reached on a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Stacey Burgos entered the contest to pinch-run for Meade and was able to trot home on Bernardi's homer.
SUU evened up the score at 11-11 with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Heather Slettvet (8-5) picked up the win in 4.2 innings of relief. Slettvet allowed six runs (three earned) on seven hits. She struck out seven and walked five.
Marissa Gonzalez (10-9) suffered the loss in 3.0 innings out of the bullpen. Gonzalez gave up three runs on three hits. She walked two and struck out two.
In game two, SUU kicked off the scoring with seven runs in the first two innings. The Thunderbirds' offense in those innings was highlighted by a two-run home run by Karli Jenson in the first and a three-run shot by Cassie Cresswell in the second.
The Rebels scored three in the second, prior to SUU put its five on the board. Fearn led off the inning with a single. Burgos pinch-ran for Fearn and came around to score with Bri Bernardi, who reached on a walk, on a three-run shot by Brittany Meade to center.
UNLV chipped away at the SUU lead with four straight run to even the game at 7-7. In the third, Ordaz hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Fangonilo from third. In the fourth, Freight hit a single to right to score the pinch-running Jenn Newman, while Fangonilo scored Freight on a single. Bolinger tied the game by herself in the fifth after she hit a double. She then took third on a steal and scored when the throw by the catcher sailed into left field.
Unfortunately, the Thunderbirds answered the four UNLV runs with five of their own. SUU scored two in the fifth and three in the sixth to push out to a 12-7 lead.
Kristina Brooks (8-13) picked up the win for SUU in 3.2 innings of relief. Brooks gave up four runs (one earned) on four hits, while striking out three.
Stephanie Bregante (12-8) took the loss in 1.1 innings. Bregante was the third of four Rebel pitches used on the day. She gave up two runs on one hit, but walked two.
The Rebels return home for a Mountain West Conference two-game set with San Diego State this weekend. UNLV and SDSU will play on Saturday, April 21 (6:00 pm) and Sunday, April 22 (2:00 pm).
