April 8, 2011
Final Stats
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV Rebels (19-13 overall, 1-0 MWC) overcame a two-run deficit and scored six unanswered runs in their 9-8 win on the road against the Colorado State Rams (7-28, 0-1) to open Mountain West Conference action. The victory was the sixth straight overall for UNLV in the head-to-head series and fourth consecutive at Ram Field in Fort Collins, Colo.
After a scoreless first inning the teams combined for four runs, although CSU scored three of the quartet for an early 3-1 lead. UNLV took a brief 1-0 lead off an RBI-single from Heather Harrison. Pauline Monreal scored on Harrison's single after initially reaching on a single.
CSU countered with three of its own in the bottom half of the inning. Ivory Allen tied the game up at 1-all when she knocked in an RBI off a fielder's choice grounder with runners on second and third. After Allen stole second, Morghan Doughty hit a single up the middle to score Brianna Donahue and Allen.
UNLV took the lead for good in the third with help from five consecutive hits that produced three runs. Ashli Holland led off with a double down the left-field line. Paige Emerson then connected on an infield single to put runners on the corners. Tayler Aleman and Kylie Wagner then nailed back-to-back doubles to bring home the three scores. Aleman's two-run shot plated Holland and Emerson, while Wagner's knocked in Aleman.
The Rebels added three more runs to their lead over the fourth and fifth frames. Stefany Valentino led off the fourth with a double that extended her season/career-best hitting streak to 11 games. Valentino moved over to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI-single by Holland. Tayler Van Acker began the fifth with a double and scored two batters later on an RBI-triple by Jaexie Balilea. Valentino then had an RBI-single to score Balilea and push UNLV's lead to 7-3.
The Rams loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but were only able to score once. Donahue was credited with an RBI off a fielder's choice at-bat.
Monreal capped UNLV's scoring on the day with a two-run, line-drive double to deep center in the sixth. Emerson and Wagner scored on the hit after the former had reached via single and the latter had walked.
CSU pulled within one in its half of the sixth with four hits off of three hits and a Rebel error. Caitlan Stem began the offensive with a one-out, solo homer. Chelsea Biglow and Brittany Palish kept things going for the Rams off a hit-by-pitch and a single, respectively. Alysa Greckel then hit a bloop single to right that scored Mosser, who was pinch-running for Biglow. Palish took third on the hit, while Greckel went for second looking for a throw. Heather Harrison attempted to get Palish at third, but the throw was errant and went into left-field foul territory and allowed both runners to score.
After UNLV went down in order in the seventh, CSU put two runners on the bases after consecutive two-out walks, but was unable to score the tying run before the third out was recorded.
Amanda Oliveto (16-5) picked up the win in complete-game fashion. Oliveto allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits. She struck out five and uncharacteristically walked seven.
Alexa Cash (1-11) was stuck with the loss in 4.2 innings of work. Cash was touched for seven runs on 13 hits. She struck out one and walked one.
Desiree Laswell threw the final 2.1 innings of relief for CSU and gave up two runs off of two hits and a walk.
UNLV returns to action Saturday evening at 5:00 pm MST (4:00 pm PT), with a game against the New Mexico Lobos in Albuquerque.
Notes: Ashli Holland moved up in two categories of UNLV's career record book after today's game ... She is now tied for fifth in RBI (126) with Racheal Goodpaster (1998-2001) and is tied for eighth in total bases (297) with Geney Orris (1999-2002) and Sara Mallett (1993-96) ... UNLV's 15 hits today tied for the most by the offense this season.
