March 16, 2010

LAS VEGAS - After a 5-1 showing last weekend, the UNLV Rebels' good fortunes carried over, as sophomore outfielder Paige Emerson and sophomore pitcher Jessica O'Connor were named the Mountain West Conference's Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

Emerson, from Rocklin, Calif., batted .400 (6-for-15) with one triple, three RBI and seven runs scored. In UNLV's doubleheader sweep of Southern Utah (Game 1 - 11-2; Game 2 - 12-0), Emerson went 2-for-5 with a triple, two RBI and three runs scored. In the Rebels' 7-3 win over Purdue, she went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, and followed with a 2-for-2, one-run scored performance in a 4-2 victory over San Diego. In a 4-1 loss to Notre Dame, Emerson went 1-for-3 with an RBI-single. Defensively, she had five putouts with no errors over six games from the outfield position.

O'Connor, a Littleton, Colo., native, compiled a 3-0 record (two complete games) in four appearances for UNLV last week. In 16.1 innings on the mound she struck out 14 batters while giving up 11 hits (10 singles), six walks and three unearned runs. In the Rebels' 11-2, five-inning win over Southern Utah, O'Connor scattered four hits, walked one and struck out five while giving up two runs. Against San Diego, she fanned five batters and gave up just two hits, one run and one walk in 4.0 innings of work for the win in UNLV's 4-2 triumph. She ended her week with a complete-game shutout of Buffalo in UNLV's 2-0 win. In 7.0 innings, O'Connor gave up just five hits and walked four, while striking out four.