March 14, 2009
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The UNLV Rebels (20-8) stayed true to their winning ways with a 4-0 win over the San Jose State Spartans (9-17) Saturday afternoon at the National Invitational Softball Tournament in San Jose, Calif. The victory was the eighth straight for the Rebels and their 14th in 15 games. Bri Bernardi and Brittany Bolinger provided RBI, while UNLV was gifted two runs off of SJSU miscues. Traci Odegard held the Spartans' offense in-check for 6.2 innings, while Jessica O'Connor picked up the save in relief.
In the second inning, Elena Fata helped produce the game's first run, as she cranked a one-out double off Deanna Mauer to left-center. Fata moved over to third on a single by Brittany Meade and scored on a groundout by Bernardi.
UNLV added three runs to increase its lead to 4-0 in the sixth. The Rebels loaded the bases up on Elissa Fox's wildness. Fox plunked Meade to begin the inning, while walking Cheynah Farley and Tara Bendt. The bases-loaded situation forced SJSU to go to its bullpen and bring in Amanda Pridmore. Bolinger was the second batter to face Pridmore and recorded a sacrifice fly to score Korin Cuico, who was pinch-running for Meade. Alissa Murphy caught Bolinger's fly in right for the out, but errantly threw wildly to home, which allowed Farley to score from second and moved Bendt to third. Bendt closed out the scoring when Pridmore uncorked a wild pitch.
Odegard improved to 8-4 on the year and lasted until she had to leave the game due to injury with one out remaining. She held the Spartans scoreless and was only touched for five hits. She struck out five and walked one.
O'Connor entered the contest with two outs recorded in the seventh and inherited runners on first and second. She struck out the only batter she faced to pick up her second save of the day.
In all, the Spartans used three hurlers. Mauer (2-5) was on the hook for the loss. She allowed one run on three hits in 4.1 innings. She walked three and struck out one.
UNLV is back in action on Sunday morning with its final tilt in the NIST. They will face UC Davis at 11:00 am at SJSU Field.
