March 7, 2008

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - The Rebels (14-10-1) split their pair of games in the UNLV Inviational on Friday night at Eller Media Stadium. UNLV defeated the Portland State Vikings (8-15) by a 5-2 margin, but fell 2-1 to the #20 Ohio State Buckeyes (13-4).

In game one, UNLV exploded for five runs on five hits in the fifth inning after being held scoreless and hitless up to that point.

PSU's Mandy Hill (6-8) held the Rebels hitless until Stephanie Bean led off the fifth with a single to left. Bean, who had previously played at Portland State, took second on a sacrifice bunt by Laura Briones and then came around to score when Brittany Meade nailed a double to right center. Chey Farley then entered the game as a pinch runner for Meade and scored when Caitlyn Paus singled to left center. Paus advanced to second on the throw in an attempt to get Farley at home. Alyssia De La Torre brought Paus home with a double of her own and then scored on an errant throw to left while stealing third. Brittany Bolinger closed out the scoring with a home run down the left field line.

Stephanie Bregante (7-6) held the Vikings scoreless until the top of the seventh when they struck for two runs. PSU registered 12 hits in the game with five coming in its final at-bat. Hill and Brandi Scoggins were responsible for bringing home PSU's two runs.

Bregante notched her 11th complete game of the season, while allowing two runs on 12 hits and striking out five. She was able to keep the Vikings at bay, as they stranded 11 runners on the base paths.

In game two, UNLV attempted a come back attempt in the seventh inning, but fell one run shy of tying the game up.

The Buckeyes broke open a scoreless game in the fifth with help from a Rebel error. Whitney Cooper reached on a one-out walk issued by Heather Slettvet (1-1). Cooper moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Rachael Shepherd and then came around to score when a throw by Brittany Meade, following a ground ball, was overthrown at first.

The Rebels nearly countered in the bottom of the fifth, but Bean was thrown out at the plate. Bean led off the inning with a single to left off a Megan Miller offering. After a sacrifice bunt, Briones recorded a single up the middle that Liz Caputo picked up and fired home to get Bean out.

OSU added an insurance run in the sixth after loading the bases. The Buckeyes used two walks and a fielding error to put runners at each base. Bregante was then summoned from the bullpen to relieve Slettvet, but wound up walking the first batter she faced before getting out of the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Bean doubled to center with one out to get UNLV's rally going. Meade then popped up to Tory Haddad, but reached safely as the first baseman dropped the ball for an error. The Buckeyes then brought in Kim Reeder in relief of Miller (3-0). Briones promptly took Reeder's offer to center to score Bean. Farley, who was running for Meade, moved up to second on the play. Caitlyn Paus then blooped a ball down the line in left for a single, but Farley was thrown out at third for the second out. Ashli Holland then battled Reeder, but eventually grounded out to third to end the game.

Slettvet suffers her first loss on the year, after throwing 5.0 hitless innings. Both runs credited to her line score were unearned.

Miller threw 6.1 innings for the win, while allowing one run on four hits.

Reeder recorded the final two outs and gave up two hits.

The Rebels return to action on Saturday, March 8, with a pair of games vs. New Mexico State (11:15 pm) and Oregon (1:30 pm).