April 26, 2009
Final Stats
ALBUQUERQUE - The UNLV Rebels (29-17 overall, 5-6 Mountain West) extended their winning streak to four games with Sunday's 8-4 victory over the New Mexico Lobos (11-32, 2-9) in Albuquerque. The game was tied 1-1 through three before UNLV outscored its hosts by a 7-3 margin through the final four innings.
UNLV started quickly with a run in the first inning with help from three walks and an infield single. Brittany Bolinger and Jaci Hull reached via base-on-balls, while Ashli Holland loaded them up with a single to short. Alyssia De La Torre showed patience at the plate and was awarded with a walk and an RBI, as Bolinger trotted in for the game's first run.
UNM evened the score at one apiece with an unearned tally in the second. Jessica Lujan-Dresslar hit a bloop single to center. Erin Brandow then reached on an errant throw off a grounder hit to short, which pushed Lujan-Dresslar over to third. Tianna George then plated UNM's run with a suicide-squeeze sacrifice bunt.
The Rebels decided to use the long ball to break the game open in the fourth. Laura Briones got things started with a solo shot to right-center off of Danielle Castro (3-14). Bolinger followed later with a three-run blast of her own, which scored Chey Farley and Marissa Nichols.
UNLV increased its lead to six with two tallies in the fifth. The Rebels strung together three consecutive hits to score the first run off the bat of a Briones. Holland led off with a double and then took third on a single by De La Torre. Briones followed with her hit. A few batters later Nichols singled home De La Torre.
The Lobos cut UNLV's lead to three with three scores in the fifth. Cristin Anderson got the inning going when she was plunked by a Stephanie Bregante (9-4) offering. Anderson later moved around the bases with help from a single and two walks. The RBI-walk to Katie Gilmore spelled the end of Bregante's day in the circle and summoned Jessica O'Connor from the bullpen. Unfortunately, O'Connor uncorked a wild pitch to bring home the second run, while a ground out by Jessica Garcia was responsible for the third.
Briones tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when she walked and moved base-to-base via three wild pitches.
Bregante picked up the win in 4.1 innings of work. She was touched for four runs, three earned, on four hits. She struck out one, but walked four.
O'Connor was credited with her fourth save of the season in 2.2 innings of relief. She didn't give up any runs, but surrendered three hits and walked one with two strikeouts. She now sits tied for second in UNLV's record book for most saves in a single season.
Castro suffered the loss in 3.1 frames of an effort. She allowed five runs on five hits. She fanned one, but walked four.
Kendall Fearn extended her career-best hitting streak to 10 games with sixth-inning single. During this 10-game stretch, she has hit at a .500 clip with 16 hits, five of which have gone for extra bases.
UNLV returns to Las Vegas for its final home stand of 2009. The Rebels welcome the BYU Cougars to Eller Media Stadium on Thursday, April 23 (5:00 pm). Utah will come to town on Friday (6:00 pm) and Saturday (1:00 pm).
is back in action on Thursday, April 23, with a 5:00 pm contest with the BYU Cougars. Utah will come to Las Vegas for a two-game set on Friday (7:00 pm) and Saturday (
