Feb. 15, 2008
UNLV 5, Illinois 2
UNLV 7, Bradley 1
LAS VEGAS - The 23rd-ranked UNLV Rebels improved to 5-1-1 on the season with its sweep of two softball teams from the state of Illinois Friday night in the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels took care of the Illinois Fighting Illini (4-3) by a 5-2 margin and followed it up with a 7-1 victory over the Bradley Braves (1-1).
In game one vs. Illinois, the Rebels got a quality start from Stephanie Bregante (4-1), as she tossed her fourth complete game of the season and struck out a career-high 10 batters. Bregante kept the Fighting Ilini scoreless until the sixth inning.
UNLV got on the board in the second inning with a run scored by Caitlyn Paus, who reached base via a walk issued by Ashley Wright (0-2). Paus was pushed around the bases by singles from Rosa Ordaz and Brittany Meade.
Ashli Holland helped UNLV extend the lead to 3-0 in the fourth with a run-scoring double. Holland wound up scoring the second run of the inning off of a ground out and a bunt single by Alyssia De La Torre.
Paus pushed UNLV's advantage to 5-0 in the fifth with a two-run triple. Laura Briones and Stephanie Bean scored on Paus' hit after reaching on a fielder's choice and a fielding error, respectively.
Illinois struck for two runs in the sixth, but that was all they would get off of Bregante. They got a lead-off home run in the frame by Katrina Ross and a run-scoring single by Shanna Diller.
Bregante went the distance and allowed only four hits and one earned run. To go along with her 10 strikeouts, she walked none.
In game two, UNLV used four runs over the first three innings to take command of the game and cruise to a 7-1 win.
Brittany Bolinger opened the game by reaching on a throwing error by Bradley's Lauren Kelly's throwing error. Bolinger took second when the ball went into the Braves' dugout. She moved to third on a wild pitch uncorked by Amanda Clack and came home to score the game's first run on a sacrifice fly by Briones.
Paus led off the second with a double to center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Bolinger then stepped up with two out and deposited Clack's offering to left center.
Briones nearly duplicated Paus' second-inning effort with a double of her own and an advancement on Clack's third wild pitch of the game. Briones wound up scoring on a fielding error on a ball put in play by Cheynah Farley.
Bradley struck for its only run in the fifth off of a double by Clack. Jenn Boeger scored off of Clack's hit to end Traci Odegard's shut out bid.
UNLV added three insurance runs in the sixth to reach the final tally of 7-1. Briones nailed a triple to right to score Sandy Nakamura, Bolinger and De La Torre. The three runners reached base via a double, a single and a walk, respectively.
Briones' four RBI tied a career-high, which was set vs. Rhode Island on March 17, 2007.
After taking care of its Illinois' opponents, the Rebels return to action on Saturday vs. two from the state of California. UNLV will face Cal State Northridge at 1:30 pm and Cal State Bakersfield at 3:45 pm.
