May 11, 2011
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -
Week Fourteen Release 
Leading Off: The UNLV Rebels close out their five-game home stand this weekend with their final three regular season contests. UNLV welcomes the New Mexico Lobos in for one game, while Colorado State follows for two more.
The Rebels will play back-to-back night games on Thursday (6:00 pm) and Friday (6:00 pm). Saturday's "Senior Day" affair is scheduled for a 1:00 pm first pitch.
Senior Day: The UNLV Rebels will recognize their three seniors on Saturday against Colorado State. Bri Bernardi has been a part of the softball program for six years, while Ashli Holland and Traci Odegard have spent four years apiece as Rebels.
Looking Back A Weekend: The UNLV Rebels went 2-0 last weekend in dramatic come-from-behind fashion against the San Diego State Aztecs. UNLV had lost 11 straight to SDSU before Saturday's 11-10 win in eight innings. The Rebels made it two wins in-a-row with Sunday's 13-11 thriller. Both games were decided in UNLV's final at-bat and won with walk-off home runs.
On Saturday, UNLV trailed the entire game and took its only lead of the game when Tayler Van Acker smashed a two-run home run over the fence in left for an 11-10 win in extras. Ashli Holland went 5-for-5 on the day with two homers, two doubles and a single, while knocking in four and scoring three runs. Kylie Wagner got the win in one inning of relief work.
On Sunday, UNLV owned a 6-2 cushion, but watched as SDSU fought back to stake itself to a 11-9 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Rebels answered with a solo shot from Holland to pull within one. Back-to-back singles by Paige Emerson and Elena Fata put the game-tying and game-winning runs on the bases for Holland's heroics. Holland delivered a three-run dinger to claim the game for UNLV. Wagner notched another win in 2.1 innings of work, including one in relief.
Rebels Walk Off With Weekly Awards: The UNLV Rebels swept the Mountain West Conference's weekly softball honors with Ashli Holland and Kylie Wagner being named Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, after their performances for the week of May 2-8. It is the third weekly honor of Holland's career and the first for Wagner.
Holland led the Rebels offensively to a 2-0 record last week with a .778 batting average in two games against the San Diego State Aztecs. On Saturday, she recorded five hits and 13 total bases, both UNLV single-game records. She smashed two solo home runs, two doubles and a single, while knocking in four and touching home plate three times. Her second homer Saturday began the Rebels' eighth-inning three-run rally, an 11-10 win. On Sunday, she went 2-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI and two runs scored. She put UNLV up 2-0 in the first with a two-run blast and then ended the contest with a three-run walk-off homer for the 13-11 win in the bottom of the seventh. In all, she had seven hits (six for extra bases), nine RBI and scored five runs, while registering a staggering 2.333 slugging percentage and .800 on-base percentage.
Wagner earned both wins in the circle for the Rebels against the Aztecs in 3.1 innings of work. She picked up the first win in one inning of relief on Saturday. After SDSU had taken a brief lead, she entered and got three consecutive outs (one via strikeout) to put her team in position to win in the eighth inning. On Sunday, she entered the circle on two different occasions. She got the start (1.1 innings) and then re-entered in the seventh. She allowed one unearned run in the relief role, but then got three straight outs before her offense came up with its second consecutive walk-off win in the bottom half of the inning. Overall, she had a 4.20 ERA on the weekend after allowing three runs (two earned). She struck out two against no walks.
Turn On Your TVs: The UNLV Rebels will make two appearances on television this season with both taking place in Las Vegas. UNLV's contest against San Diego State last Sunday was broadcast by CBS Sports Network, formerly CBS College Sports Network. This Saturday, the Rebels tussle with the Colorado State Rams at 1:00 pm will be aired by The MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.).
