May 15, 2010

Final Stats

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The UNLV Rebels (33-20 overall, 10-5 MWC) finished the 2010 regular season strong with their 15-3, five-inning whitewashing of the Colorado State Rams (29-20, 7-8 MWC) on "Senior Day" in Fort Collins, Colo. UNLV extended its winning streak to three games, while they have garnered victories in five of its last six contests. The Rebels, who have won the last three in come-from-behind fashion, scored 15 unanswered to claim the high-scoring affair. The visitors put the game out of reach when they knocked in 11 runs in the third inning. The win gives UNLV five in-a-row over CSU in the head-to-head series, including three straight on the Rams' home turf.

UNLV turned things around in the second inning with a two-run home run by Laura Briones to deep center that knotted the game at 2-2. Marissa Nichols scored on Briones' third home run of the season after initially being walked by Kelli Eubanks (23-13).

The Rebels quickly blew the game open with their 11-run, 10-hit third inning and watched 14 batters step up to the dish. Ashli Holland began the offensive with a solo home run to left for her eighth home run on the year. Four consecutive singles followed the home run with Kendall Fearn and Nichols notching one RBI on each of their base knocks. Eubank's day in the circle came to an end after Nichols' RBI-single and forced CSU to bring Rebecca Penland into the game.

Briones rudely welcomed Penland to the game when she hit a sacrifice fly that plated a pinch-running Laura King from third. Penland managed to get the next batter out for the second out, but then gave up a single to Tayler Aleman to put runners on the corners. Tara Bendt followed with her team-leading fourth triple of the season to bring Nichols and Aleman home. Holland kept things revving with an RBI-single to score Bendt. Paige Emerson and Jaci Hull joined Bendt on the bases after an infield single and a walk, respectively. Fearn then delivered her first career triple that cleared the bases and gave her four RBI on the day before ending the scoring barrage after a wild pitch tossed by Kelsey Jo O'Brien, who entered after the triple.

Hull pushed the Rebel lead to 14-2 when Jaci Hull cranked the team's third home run of the day and her 11th of the year down the line in left. With two out, Nichols singled through the right side and immediately scored when Briones capped off her four-RBi day with a double to left.

The Rams jumped ahead in the bottom of the first with help from a two-run home by Christine Thomsen to right field. Jenna Krogh began the offensive with a one-out double down the third-base line off an offering by Jessica O'Connor (13-4). CSU's offense was held in-check by O'Connor the remainder of the game until Thomsen hit her second home run of the day, a solo shot to right, in the bottom of the seventh.

O'Connor tossed her team-best eighth complete game in five innings of work. She was touched for three runs on five hits, while she struck out three and walked three.

Eubanks suffered her second consecutive loss to UNLV in as many days. She lasted only 2.0 innings and was touched for seven runs on six hits with two walks.

Penland didn't do much better than Eubanks, as she allowed six runs on five hits, while recording only two outs. She did strikeout one and walk one.

O'Brien threw 2.1 frames of relief and surrendered two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

In all, eight of UNLV's nine offensive players recorded at least one hit on the day. Holland, Emerson, Hull, Fearn, Nichols, Briones and Aleman notched two apiece. Holland and Tara Bendt joined Fearn and Briones in the multiple-RBI category, as both of them had two.

UNLV will learn whether or not they have earned an at-large bid into the 2010 NCAA Tournament Sunday, May 16 at 7:00 pm. The selection show will be aired live by ESPNU, which is available on DirecTV channel 614 and Dish Network channel 141.

NOTES: UNLV improved to 10-17 in games that the opponent has scored first after winning its last three in this fashion ... The team owns a 32-7 mark in games in which they have scored three or more runs ... The team owns a 27-2 record when holding the lead after four innings of play and are an impeccable 21-0 after leading after six innings ... The 10 conference wins are the most since the 2007 squad 12 back in 2007