Feb. 10, 2008
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV Rebels (3-1-1) ended their Sportco Spring Kick-Off Classic at Eller Media Stadium Sunday night on a good note with an upset victory of the #3 Arizona State Sun Devils (3-1) and a tie with the #11 Washington Huskies (2-1-1). UNLV got a walk-off home run from Stephanie Bean in the bottom of the seventh to defeat ASU, 2-1, while they rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the fourth inning for a 4-4 five-inning tie.
In game one, UNLV took an early 1-0 lead with help from two passed balls in the first inning. Brittany Bolinger led off the game striking out, but reached first when ASU's catcher, Kristen Miller, was unable to handle Katie Burkhart's offering. Following a sacrifice bunt by Alyssia De La Torre and a single by Jaci Hull, Bolinger came home on the second passed ball issued to Miller.
The score remained 1-0 in UNLV's favor until the fifth inning. With one out, Caylyn Carlson hit a solo home run off the scoreboard in left field.
Stephanie Bregante held ASU's offense at bay throughout the game. Carlson was the only Sun Devil to advance past second base the entire contest. Bregante improved to 3-1 on the year with the complete-game shutout. She allowed five hits, while striking out five and walking one.
After watching Bregante shut down ASU through seven frames, Bean stepped up and delivered her dramatic shot.
Burkhart, a 2007 NFCA All-America First Team selection, suffered the loss and dropped to 1-1. She struck out 12 Rebels and walked two, while giving up three hits.
The win was the first for UNLV at home over the Sun Devils since a 5-0 victory in Las Vegas on March 13, 1990. It was the first win in the series since a 5-4 decision in Tempe on Feb. 17, 1996.
In game two, the Rebels fell behind 4-1 after three innings, but fought back for a 4-4 no decision.
Bolinger's passed ball luck carried over against UW, as she put UNLV up 1-0 in the first inning. She led off the game with a walk and promptly stole second. De La Torre sacrificed her to third before Alicia Blake allowed Caitlin Noble's pitch to get past her.
UW evened up the score at 1-1 in the second. Noble opened the inning with a single off of Traci Odegard and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Noble scored UW's first run after a grounder by Dani Stuart was misplayed by Hull at short.
The Huskies touched up Odegard for three runs in the third, but only one was earned. Marnie Koziol led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on Bailey Stenson's double. Lauren Greer plated Koziol with a single to left and pushed Stenson to third. Noble stepped up and hit a chopper to Hull that sent the play home. Hull's throw home got past Laura Briones and allowed Stenson to score. Noble later got picked off first, but the rundown allowed Greer to score.
The Rebels pulled even in the fourth with three runs of their own. Briones and Bean got back-to-back singles, while Caitlyn Paus loaded the bases by getting hit by a pitch. Brittany Meade stepped up as a pinch hitter and hit a grounder to Morgan Stuart at short. Stuart threw home, but the ball got past the catcher Blake to allow Briones to score. Ashli Holland wound up walking in the second run of the inning and kept the bases loaded for Bolinger to deliver a single to left to tie the game.
Due to Washington's travel arrangements the game was called at 6:20 pm and declared a tie. It was the first tie for UNLV since a 4-4, 13-inning affair at Pacific on April 2, 1993.
UNLV hosts the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic on Feb. 14-17. The Classic is held at three different locations. UNLV will play all of its games at EMS, while others will play at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park and/or the Russell Road Complex in nearby Henderson. The Rebels will open its five-game slate with games on Feb. 15 vs. Illinois (6:00 pm) and Bradley (8:15 pm).
