Feb. 18, 2008
UNLV 11, Seton Hall 1 (5)
LAS VEGAS - The 23rd-ranked UNLV Rebels improved to 9-1-1 on the year with their 11-1, five-inning victory over the Seton Hall Pirates (1-5) Monday morning at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels erupted for two runs in the first, four in the second and five in the fourth to pick up their first run-rule win in 2008.
With the win, the Rebels hold the second-best 11-game opening in program history. The Women's College World Series team of 1995 sits atop the list with its 10-1 start. This year's squad has not lost since the second game of the season and has now gone unbeaten in nine straight, which includes six straight wins.
UNLV got all the runs it needed in the first inning when Rosa Ordaz delivered a two-run single up the middle off of Ashley Forsyth to score Jaci Hull and Laura Briones. Hull led off the inning with a walk and moved to third when Briones knocked a single to right. Briones wound up taking second when Seton Hall failed to protect the bag.
The Pirates got their only run of the game in the second with help from back-to-back errors by Ashli Holland. With the bases loaded following a single and the errors, Christa Leighton's ground out brought Amanda Winn home.
The Rebels rebounded from the top of the inning to score four of their own on five hits. After the first two outs were recorded, Brittany Bolinger singled to left and then stole second. Alyssia De La Torre nailed a triple to right center to bring in Bolinger. Hull scored De La Torre easily with her double to left. Briones pushed Hull to third with a single and then they executed a perfect double steal to score the fifth run of the game. Ordaz closed out the inning with a single to center to score Briones.
The offense put together a six straight hits and seven overall in the fourth to plate five more runners. Five singles, one double and one triple were scattered around the field to score four runs. One run crossed home with help from a wild pitch.
Overall, the team's 4-5-6 hitters went 8-for-8 in the game with six RBI and seven runs scored. Hull went 2-for-2, while Briones and Ordaz both were 3-for-3.
Ashley Arnett picked up her first win of the season for UNLV and sits 1-0 on the year. Arnett, who played for Seton Hall in 2006, tossed 4.0 innings and surrendered five hits. The lone run that scored while she was in the circle was unearned.
Traci Odegard pitched a scoreless fifth inning in relief.
The 15 hits by the Rebel offense are the most, so far in 2008. The previous high was 11, which they achieved against Loyola (Feb. 8) and Illinois (Feb. 15). The 11 runs equaled the most the team has scored this season. They put up 11 in a come back attempt vs. Loyola on Feb. 8.
