March 13, 2011
Box Score: Wisonsin 4, UNLV 3
Box Score: UNLV 9, UC Santa Barbara 3
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV Rebels (14-9) split their pair of games Sunday on the final day of the Gaucho Classic II hosted by UC Santa Barbara at the Campus Diamond. UNLV nearly pulled out a come-from-behind win over the Wisconsin Badgers (8-7), but succumbed by a 4-3 final before it knocked off the host UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (12-10), 9-3.
The Rebels had seven players scatter at least two hits on the day with Kylie Wagner pacing the squad with her 5-for-6 performance from the plate. Wagner contributed three singles, one home run and a double from the left side of the batter's box and was responsible for three RBI and two runs, as well. Tayler Aleman and Pauline Monreal both pounded out four hits in seven at-bats, while Heather Harrison and Ashli Holland had three hits apiece.
In the circle, Amanda Oliveto (11-3) notched a complete-game win over UCSB, while Wagner (0-1) suffered the loss to Wisconsin in a relief appearance.
Game 1 - Wisconsin: Trailing 4-3 in the top of the seventh, UNLV quickly loaded the bases following a double by Aleman, a walk issued to Monreal and a bunt-single by Wagner of UW hurler Cassandra Darrah. Paige Emerson followed with a lengthy at-bat off Darrah, but was unlucky and grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, which forced Aleman out at home. Darrah then secured the win for her squad when she got Bri Bernardi to strike out with runners in scoring position.
The Badgers staked themselves to a 3-0 lead with a single score in the second and two more in third.
UNLV's offense came alive in the sixth after leaving five runners on the bases the previous five frames. The Rebels began the sixth with same trio that started the seventh-inning offensive. Aleman, Monreal and Wagner all singled to load the bases. Emerson put the Rebels on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly to left that scored. Aleman scored on the play, but not before steam rolling over Wisconsin's catcher at the plate. Amber Petersen, who entered as a pinch-runner for Monreal, and Wagner moved into scoring position when the ball was knocked loose. Bernardi then hit a single to the left side that scored Petersen. Holland was then intentionally walked to load the bases prior to a walk issued Elena Fata that easily brought Wagner in from third to tie the game.
Wisconsin fought back in its half of the sixth with a single by Jennifer Kreuger, who then quickly stole second. Kreuger came around to score on a triple laced to left-center by Mary Massei.
Wagner was saddled with the loss in 3.2 innings of relief. She struck out four against one walk and allowed one run off of four hits.
Jessica O'Connor started the game for UNLV and lasted 2.1 innings. O'Connor surrendered three runs off of seven hits. She struck out three and walked one.
Darrah (6-1) went the distance for the win. She allowed three runs on 10 hits, walked four and struck out two.
Game 2 - UC Santa Barbara: UNLV's offense carried over against UCSB, as it scored nine runs in six innings of action. UCSB struck first with an RBI-single by Allison Tayler, but the watched as the Rebels countered with two in the first and many more as the game progressed.
The Rebels loaded the bases in the first before Tayler Van Acker and Wagner hit back-to-back RBI-singles to give their team the lead for good.
UNLV pushed its lead to three runs with two more scores in the third. Aleman led off with a single and then motored around the base paths on a triple by Monreal, who was later thrown out at home on a fielder's choice put into play by Van Acker. Wagner then hit a double to left-center that scored Van Acker to move the score to 4-1.
UCSB added a run of its own in the fourth to cut the deficit to two before UNLV answered back with two more. Harrison began things with a double and then was pinch-ran for by Petersen. Valentino then hit a two-run dinger to right to move the score to 6-2.
Wagner hit a solo homer in the fifth to add a seventh run to the scoreboard.
In the sixth, Fata reached on a single and then scored on a ball hit the deep left by Aleman that resulted in a double. Monreal followed with a single to right that scored a pinch-running Montoya from second.
Oliveto picked up the win after allowing three runs on nine hits. She struck out six.
Andrianna Collins (8-6) suffered the loss in 5.2 combined innings pitched. Collins allowed seven runs (six earned), 12 hits and two walks.
Jenny Liepman relieved Collins briefly for one-third of an inning and was touched for two runs off of three hits.
UNLV returns to action Wednesday at 3:00 pm, against Western Illinois at Eller Media Stadium. The game will be the Rebels only home contest for the remainder of the month.
