May 4, 2008
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV Rebels attempted a seventh-inning rally, but fell short as the Colorado State Rams (26-21 overall, 6-10 Mountain West Conference) held on for the 13-11 victory. UNLV (25-38-1 overall, 5-13 MWC) trailed 13-6 heading into its final at-bat and had the potential winning run at the plate when the game's final out was recorded.
In the bottom of the seventh and trailing 13-6, Laura Briones led off the frame with a single to left and took second when Ivory Allen bobbled the ball. Briones took third on a ground out and scored on Jessica DeMatteo's single to center field. After a walk was issued to Sandy Nakamura, Brittany Bolinger doubled to left to score DeMatteo and move Nakamura to third. Alyssia De La Torre then nailed a triple down the right-field line to score two and pull UNLV within four at 13-9. Jaci Hull then knocked in De La Torre with a slow roller down towards first that was fielded by Lauran Cusick, but Hull beat out any attempt by a Ram defender to cover first. Ashli Holland notched a single of her own to force CSU to pull Kim Klabough from the circle in exchange for Cayte Billman. Billman wound up getting Rosa Ordaz to pop up for the third out and registering her first save of the season.
CSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first with help from two hits and a Rebel error. With the bases loaded, Rebecca Penland watched as a passed ball scored Cusick from third before knocking in a run with a single to second from a Traci Odegard offering.
UNLV countered with three runs in the bottom of the first off of one hit and one error. Bolinger led off the inning with a bunt single and moved to second when De La Torre was hit by a pitch. Hull hit into a fielder's choice to reach first and move Bolinger to third. Ordaz then followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in the Rebels' first run. Briones then hit a ball to Robyn Mask at second base that was misplayed and allowed Hull and Holland to put UNLV up 3-2.
CSU then rattled off seven unanswered runs between the second and fifth innings. Cusick tied things up with an RBI-single in the second, while Caitlan Stem put the Rams up, 4-3, with a run-scoring single of her won in the fourth. CSU plated five runners in the fifth to take a 9-3 lead. The fifth inning saw Sarah Sullivan hit a sacrifice fly and Mask blast a two-run homer off of Arnett, while Stem recorded a two-run double off of Heather Slettvet.
The Rebels got back on track in the bottom of the fifth with three runs. Hull led off the inning with a double and came around to score on a triple to right field by Ordaz. Briones followed with an extra-base hit of her own, as she hit a two-bagger to center to score Ordaz and chase Penland from the circle. Meade plated Briones with a single off of Klabough to cut the deficit to three runs at 9-6.
The Rams extended their lead to seven runs with four scores in the top of the seventh. Stem collected her fourth RBI of the game with a single to begin the four-run barrage. Penland stepped up and delivered a single to right for one RBI and another run scored on a throwing error. Kayla Kreutzman closed out CSU's scoring with a single to right to plate the inning's fourth run.
Penland picked up the win in 4.1 innings of a start and improved to 8-4 on the year. She was touched for six runs (three earned) on seven hits. She struck out three and walked one.
Arnett drops to 3-1 in 2.2 innings of relief. She surrendered four runs (three earned) on five hits and struck out one.
Odegard earned a no-decision in the game, as she started the first 1.2 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits.
The Rebels are back in action next weekend when they close out the regular and MWC season with a two-game set against the San Diego State Aztecs. Game one is set for Friday, May 9 at 6:00 pm, while the second is on Saturday, May 10 at 2:00 pm. Saturday's game will be "Senior Day", as the softball program will celebrate the careers of Ordaz, Slettvet, Nakamura, Stephanie Bean and Caitlyn Paus.
