March 19, 2010
Final Stats
FULLERTON, Calif. - The UNLV Rebels (18-10) suffered a gut-wrenching 14-13 defeat to the #4 Michigan Wolverines (19-4) Friday morning at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. The contest featured 27 runs, 23 hits, two errors, nearly 20 illegal pitches and one head coach ejection (Michigan's). The Rebels fell behind by a 6-0 margin after the top half of the first, but battled back with 13 of the game's next 15 runs. Unfortunately, Michigan got five to tie things up in the fifth and a solo home run by Maggie Viehaus in the sixth to put them up for good.
In all, 14 players collected at least one hit with seven amassing multiple-hit games. Ashli Holland and UM's Steph Kirkpatrick tallied 3-for-4 efforts. All three of Holland's hits went for extra-bases with two doubles and one home run. Kirkpatrick, on the other hand, had three singles.
Michigan jumped out quickly with six runs aided by two hits, two Rebel errors and a plethora of illegal pitches called against Kylie Wagner. The first three hitters walked, while Bree Evans, the lead-off hitter, scored on an illegal offering. Following a line out, Dorian Shaw stepped up with runners in scoring position and hit a three-run laser that cleared the fence in left. The Wolverines got runners back on the bases with help from a fielding error, a single and a walk. One of the three came in on an illegal pitch that ended Wagner's day in the circle. Traci Odegard took over for Wagner and watched as the defense committed another error that allowed the sixth run to score.
UNLV began its comeback in the bottom half of the first with four runs on five hits. After Nikki Nemitz (6-3) got the first out, the Rebels got back-to-back walks issued to Paige Emerson and Jaci Hull. Holland then delivered her first double with a shot to the gap in right that plated both runners. Kendall Fearn joined Holland on the bases with a single to third. Laura Briones then stepped up with runners on the corners and nailed a double to left to score Holland and push Fearn to third. Alyssia De La Torre closed out the scoring with a single to second that brought Fearn home.
Amanda Chidester got one run back for Michigan in the second with a solo dinger to left.
The Rebels turned the tide in the third after two outs had been recorded with seven runs off of three hits and one UM error. De La Torre began things with a walk sandwiched by two outs. Following a throwing error that put Tara Bendt on base, Marissa Nichols smashed a three-run bomb to left to knot the score at 7-7. Nemitz then walked Emerson and Hull before dishing up a three-run home run to Holland. Stephanie Speierman then entered the game in relief of Nemitz only to be greeted rudely by a solo home run to deep center by Fearn that pushed UNLV's lead to 11-7.
Hull's second score on the day moved her into sole possession of UNLV's all-time run category. She surpassed Kim Rondina (1994-97) with 169 career tallies.
The Wolverines got one run in the fourth to pull within three at 11-8 only to watch the Rebels get two in the bottom half. De La Torre led off with a walk and came around the base paths on a single by Bendt and two illegal pitches. Bendt took second and third on the illegal pitches and scored on an RBI-single by Emerson.
Michigan evened the score at 13-13 in the fifth with five runs on five hits. The Wolverines got consecutive singles to start the frame and end Odegard's day in the circle. Jessica O'Connor (7-3) served up a run-scoring double to Viefhaus. O'Connor recorded a strikeout before walking Shaw to load the bases. Chidester then hit a single to right that scored two runners. Nimitz then helped herself with a sacrifice fly to pull UM within one at 13-12. Kirkpatrick followed with her third single of the game to score the tying run.
Viefhaus then put her squad up for good with a solo shot to center to break the stalemate.
O'Connor was saddled with the loss in 3.0 innings of relief. She was touched for four runs on four hits, while striking out two and walking one.
Wagner and Odegard combined for four innings of work. They allowed 10 runs (eight earned) on eight hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
Nemitz earned the win with her two stints in the circle for a total of six innings. She surrendered 10 runs (four earned) on eight hits, while striking out nine and walking five.
Speierman only amassed one inning of work. She allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.
UNLV returns to action Friday afternoon against San Jose State.
