April 18, 2008
CSU 14, UNLV 13
CSU 7, UNLV6
The UNLV Rebels (21-30-1) suffered two heart-breaking losses Friday to the Colorado State Rams (23-16) Friday afternoon at Ram Field. Both games were decided by one run and in the bottom of the seventh innings in come-from-behind fashion. CSU took game one by a 14-13 margin and the second, 7-6.
The teams combined for 40 runs and 54 hits. The 13 runs by UNLV in game one are the most the Rebels have scored in a game this season, while the 16 hits topped the previous season high.
In game one, the Rebels jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead after their first at-bat of the game. Brittany Bolinger and Stephanie Bean contributed back-to-back singles. Rosa Ordaz delivered the game's first RBI with a single up the middle to score Bolinger from second. Ordaz took second on the throw home, while Bean went to third. Brittany Meade dropped down a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt to score Bean from third to close out UNLV's three-run first inning.
CSU evened up the score at 3-3 with two runs in the first and one in the second. Rebecca Penland doubled in two runners in the first inning, while the run in the second inning crossed following a Rebel error.
UNLV broke the 3-3 tie with two scores in the third. Meade brought home the first tally with a single up the middle to bring Bean home from second, while Ordaz went from first to third. Meade's hit forced CSU to pull its starter, Kim Klabough, and bring Penland into the circle. Ashli Holland immediately nailed a single to center field to bring home Ordaz.
The Rams pulled within one at 5-4 with a lone run in the bottom of the third on a lead-off solo homer by Ashley Munoz.
Jaci Hull put UNLV back up by two with a run-scoring single in the fourth to plate to score Chey Farley from second.
The Rams went on a scoring spree in the fourth and fifth innings with seven-unanswered runs to take the lead 8-6 only to watch UNLV turned the tide on the Rams and scored seven runs of its own between the sixth and seventh frames.
In the sixth, Bean stepped up with the bases loaded and recorded one RBI with a groundout. The Rebels loaded the bases a second time in the inning and got a three-run double by Meade to pull UNLV within one.at 11-10.
Laura Briones led off the seventh with a double and was pinch-ran for by Caitlyn Paus, prior to CSU installing Cayte Billman into the circle in relief of Penland. Sandy Nakamura welcomed Billman to the game with a single through the left side and then snuck her way to second base. Ashley Arnett switched spots with Nakamura at second and advanced to third when Bolinger singled home Paus. After Bolinger stole second base, Billman was called for an illegal pitch, which allowed Arnett to score and Bolinger to take third. Bean walked to put runners on the corners and to force CSU to bring Penland back to the circle. Hull then delivered a single to score Bolinger and give UNLV a 13-11 lead.
The Rams got one run quickly in the seventh to pull within one with help from an Allison Majam single to score Lauren Cusick from second. Cusick led off the inning by reaching on an error and moved into scoring position on a groundout. Heather Slettvet, who started the game in the circle re-entered in relief of Traci Odegard, and loaded up the bases with a single and a walk. Julia Kloppe tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left, while Kayla Kreutzman hit the deciding blow with a single to left to bring home the winning run.
Penland picked up the win for CSU and improved to 7-2 on the year in 4.1 innings of work. She allowed six runs on eight hits. She struck out one and walked three.
Slettvet suffered the loss and fell to 2-11 in 3.1 innings. She surrendered five runs (three earned) on seven hits. She recorded one strikeout and walked four.
Game two was offensive, but not to the extent of the first one. The teams combined for only 13 runs and 23 hits.
The Rebels scored two quick runs in the first inning with help from RBI-singles by Meade and Holland. Meade stepped up with runners on first and second before scoring her hit, while Holland followed with her at-bat.
UNLV extended its lead to 4-0 with two more scores in the third. Meade duplicated her first-inning at-bat with an RBI-single with runners on first and second. Briones brought home the second run with a single of her own.
CSU got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the third. Munoz hit a two-run home run, while the third run was aided by two Rebel errors.
The teams exchanged runs in the fourth with UNLV scoring off an Alyssia De La Torre home run, while CSU countered with a run-scoring single by Majam.
Ordaz put UNLV up 6-4 with a solo shot in the fifth to close out the Rebel scoring for the game.
The Rams got a solo home run from Cusick in the fifth to pull within one at 6-5, before Robyn Mask smashed a walk-off home run in the seventh to end the game.
Klabough took the win for CSU in 4.0 innings of relief and jumped to 8-8. She only allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Stephanie Bregante fell to 12-15 in 6.1 innings of work. She gave up seven runs (six earned) on 13 hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
The Rebels are back in action on Saturday with a single game against the New Mexico Lobos in Albuquerque, N.M. First pitch is set for 7:00 pm MT/6:00 pm PT.
