Feb. 27, 2009

UNLV 9, WSU 0 (5)

UNLV 3, FAU 1

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV Rebels improved to 10-7 on the year with victories over the Wright State Raiders (3-6) and Florida Atlantic Owls (9-7) on Friday morning in the Eller Media Stadium Classic in Las Vegas. The Rebels needed only five innings to dispose of Wright State by a 9-0 margin, while they went the distance in a 3-1 game against Florida Atlantic. The wins extended the Rebels' winning streak to four.

In the first game, UNLV racked up a quick 8-0 tally through the first two innings of play against Wright State to put the contest out of reach.

Kendall Fearn and Ashli Holland were responsible for putting the Rebels up 2-0 in the first frame, as they each plated a run off consecutive extra-base hits off of Sharon Palma (2-3). Fearn hit a line-drive double off the top of the right-field fence, while Holland laced a triple to right.

The Rebels added six more runs to the scoreboard in the second with help from five hits and a WSU error. Erica Addison began the inning with a walk and took third on Bri Bernardi's single down the line in right, which prompted the Raiders to summon Allison Cox to the circle in relief of Palma. Addison wound up scoring on Tara Bendt's infield single that pushed Bernardi to second. Jaci Hull extended the lead to 5-0 with a two-run single to bring home Bernardi and Bendt. Holland picked up her second RBI of the game with a single to score Hull and ended Cox's short-lived run in the circle, as Melanie Heyne relieved her. With Heyne in the circle, WSU gave up two more runs, one off an errant throw and another on a wild pitch.

Holland closed out the game's scoring in the fourth with her third single and third RBI of the game.

Stephanie Bregante (1-1) picked up the win with a shutout in a 5.0-inning effort. Bregante struck out three, while allowing four hits and three walks.

Palma suffered the loss in one inning of work. She was touched for five runs, three earned, on four hits.

In game two, FAU struck for a 1-0 lead, but watched UNLV knot the score and then add two more for the 3-1 decision.

After recording the first two outs of the first inning, FAU's Caitlyn Bliss singled to left and moved up to second on an error by Marissa Nichols. Blair Bodenmiller made the Rebels pay for the mistake, as she brought Bliss home with a single of her own off of Traci Odegard (4-4).

UNLV evened the score at 1-1 with help from a FAU error in the third. Korin Cuico was walked by Rose Gressley (2-4) and later came around to score on a fielding error by her shortstop.

The Rebels went up for good in the fourth when Laura Briones smashed a run-scoring double to left-center. Alyssia De La Torre scored on Briones' hit after reaching on a single of her own.

Hull added an insurance run in the sixth with a solo shot to left field.

Odegard earned the win in complete-game fashion. She was only touched for one run on six hits. She struck out three and walked one.

Gressley took the loss in 6.0 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits.

UNLV is back in action on Saturday, Feb. 27, as they face Drake (2:00 pm) and Loyola Marymount (6:00 pm).