March 27, 2011
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) - Amanda Oliveto became the fifth pitcher in UNLV softball history to toss a no-hitter, as she went the distance in a complete-game, 3-0 shutout of the Cal Poly Mustangs (4-22) Sunday afternoon at Bob Janssen Field in San Luis Obispo, Calif. UNLV took control of the game offensively in the third with a single score before two insurance runs were added in the sixth in the finale of the Mustang Classic.
Oliveto joins the sisterhood of Karen Carlson, Kim Smith, Lori Harrigan and Amie Stewart as the only pitchers in Rebel softball history to throw a no-no. In all, Oliveto's outing was the 11th overall no-hitter for UNLV and first since Stewart's against Massachusett's on Feb. 18, 1995 (an 8-0 UNLV win).
Oliveto improved to 13-5 with the win, as she held the Mustang offense in-check. She struck out eight for the third straight outing and sixth time overall this season. Besides the strikeouts, she induced 12 ground ball outs and one fly out. She allowed only four base runners in the game, as she walked one, hit one and two reached via error.
After two scoreless innings of action, UNLV scored the game's first run in the third. Stefany Valentino got things started with a one-out single up the middle off CP's Anna Cahn (1-7). Ashli Holland followed with an RBI-double to right-center to put the Rebels up for good.
The Rebels added two more tallies to the scoreboard in the sixth when Tayler Aleman blasted Rebecca Patton's offering over the fence in left.
Cahn was stuck with the loss in 3.1 innings of work. She was touched for one run off of two hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
Patton surrendered two runs off of three hits and fanned three Rebels.
UNLV returns to Las Vegas for the first time since March 16 to host the Pre-Conference Round-Up next weekend, April 1-2 at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels welcome BYU, Loyola Marymount and Seattle to town for the two-day affair. UNLV will face Seattle on Friday at 6:45 pm, followed by a pair on Saturday.
Note: Ashli Holland moved into sixth place in UNLV's career record book for doubles when she hit her 41st career two-bagger Sunday. Holland's double fell just shy of going into the books as a home run when it bounced back into play off the Janssen Field fence. She surpassed former UNLV great Kendall Fearn, (2006-10) who is now seventh with 40.
