April 24, 2009

Final Stats

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The UNLV Rebels (27-17 overall, 3-6 Mountain West) got some late-inning heroics from Ashli Holland to topple the Colorado State Rams (21-21, 4-4) by a 7-6 margin in Fort Collins, Colo., Friday afternoon. Holland stepped up with the two out and the bases juiced in the seventh and clobbered a grand slam to clinch her third game-winning hit of the season.

UNLV entered the seventh trailing by a 6-3 tally, but watched its offense produce four runs in the inning. Tara Bendt began the stanza with an infield single and moved to second when Marissa Nichols was plunked by a Kelli Eubanks' (8-6) offering. A fielder's choice by Brittany Bolinger kept two runners on base, although Bendt was tagged out on the play. Nichols and Bolinger moved into scoring position on a wild pitch prior to a fly out by Jaci Hull. The Rams elected to intentionally walk Kendall Fearn to load the bases, but the move backfired, as Holland went yard.

Holland took the 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence, which was UNLV's second home run to that part of Ram Field on the day, although the wind was blowing towards right.

Fearn preceded Holland's round-tripper with one of her own in the sixth, which pulled UNLV within three runs at 6-3.

UNLV began the game on a good note with two runs off three hits in the first. Nichols opened up the game with a double off the fence in left-center and took third on an infield hit by Bolinger. Fearn then cranked a two-run double down the line in right to score the two runners and extend her career-best hitting streak to eight games.

Caitlan Stem got the Ram offense revving in the third when she smashed a solo blast to right from a Jessica O'Connor (10-6) offering. O'Connor wound up having to exit the game after the following hitter, when she was struck by a single up the middle. Traci Odegard entered the game as an injury replacement for O'Connor.

CSU picked up two unearned runs in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead with help from a Rebel miscue. The Rams scored their first run off an errant throw to first and ground out by Jenna Krogh.

The Rams extended their lead to 6-2 with three would-be insurance runs in the fifth off of two hits and a Rebel error. Odegard wound up walking and plunking a batter before handing the ball back to O'Connor, who finished out the contest. O'Connor got an out before walking the next batter to load the bases. Stem was instrumental for her club, once again, as she drilled a two-run single with the bases juiced. Krogh closed out CSU's offensive with a bunt single that brought in the team's third run of the inning.

UNLV got eight of its 10 hits from four players, as each scattered two base-knocks in the game. Bolinger, Fearn, Holland and Alyssia De La Torre recorded two apiece. Holland picked up four RBI, while Fearn followed closely with three.

O'Connor picked the win in 5.0 innings of work. She was touched for two runs, one earned, on nine hits. She struck out five and walked one.

Eubanks was stuck with the loss in 6.2 innings of her start. She allowed seven runs on 10 hits. She fanned four and walked two.

Odegard was in the circle for 2.0 innings and had four Rams score during her tenure, but all were scored as unearned. She gave up one hit and issued four walks to only one strikeout.

UNLV is back in action on Saturday night (7:00 pm MT/6:00 pm PT) in Albuquerque, N.M., with a conference tilt with the New Mexico Lobos.