May 7, 2010
Final Stats
LAS VEGAS - A standing-room only crowd of 946, the largest in Eller Media Stadium history, witnessed the UNLV Rebels (30-19 overall, 7-4 Mountain West) reach the 30-win barrier for the 13th time in program history with help from tonight's 8-7, eight-inning victory over the BYU Cougars (39-11, 10-3 MWC). The see-saw affair ended in the bottom of the eighth on a dropped fly ball to left that allowed Ashli Holland to score from second base.
After BYU left the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, Holland led off the bottom portion of the frame with a double to left. Following a walk issued to Paige Emerson, Jaci Hull then stepped up and hit the decisive fly ball to left that was dropped by Caschjen Davis-Atagi that allowed Holland to score from second with the game-winning run.
UNLV overcame 15 hits by the BYU offense, including three home runs and six RBI recorded by Angeline Quiocho.
The Rebels took a quick 1-0 lead off a two-out, RBI-double by Kendall Fearn in the first inning. Hull scored on the deep drive to center after initially walking.
BYU answered back in the third with a three-run home run to center by Angie Quiocho. The Cougars picked up singles by Jessica Dugas and J.C. Clayton with one out prior to Quicho's dinger, which also ended Traci Odegard's day in the circle and summoned Jessica O'Connor into the game.
UNLV went back ahead by a run after the fourth inning after scoring three runs with help from three hits and a BYU error. Tayler Aleman began things when she reached on an error by Clayton at short stop. Laura Briones then hit a run-scoring double to left to score Aleman and force BYU into bringing Paige Affleck into the game in a relief of Christi Zinanti (10-2). Alyssia De La Torre welcomed Affleck to the game with an RBI-single up the middle to score Briones and tie the contest at 3-3. De La Torre moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and then scored when Holland hit a single up the middle.
Following Quiocho's two-run home run in the fifth, the Rebels rebounded with two runs of their own. Emerson led off the stanza with a walk and made her way to third off a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. She scored on a chopper put in play by Marissa Nichols. Korin Cuico, who was pinch-running following a walk to Fearn prior to Nichols at-bat, took second on Nichols' play and then scored on a single to right by Briones.
The teams traded runs in the sixth. BYU got its score when a pinch-running Tiffany Messerschmidt stole home after moving to third following a throwing error at first and an infield single. The Rebels countered with an RBI-single by Fearn that scored Tara Bendt, who led off the inning with a single. Both teams went to the bullpen again, as Zinanti re-entered and Kylie Wagner (11-5) relieved O'Connor.
Quiocho then tied things up for the last time with a solo shot to lead off the seventh.
Wagner earned the win in 2.1 innings of work. She was touched for one run and four hits, while striking out one and walking one.
Odegard and O'Connor combined for 5.2 innings, while giving up six runs (five earned) on 11 hits. They struck out three and walked two.
Zinanti, who had two pitching stints in the affair, was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits in 5.1 innings of combined work. She struck out six and walked five, as well.
Affleck lasted only 1.2 frames in the circle and was touched for four runs (three earned) on four hits. She struck out two and walked two.
UNLV is back in action Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm, when they host BYU to close out the two-game set. The game has been billed as "Senior Day", as the program will recognize its eight seniors playing in their final home game.
NOTES: UNLV improved to 23-2 when scoring first and 29-6 when scoring three or more runs in a contest ... They are now 2-0 in extra-inning games this season.
