Feb. 14, 2014
Easton Desert Classic Tournament Central
BOX SCORES: #10 Oregon 3, UNLV 1 (10 inns.) | #22 Minnesota 6, UNLV 0
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team (1-6) suffered a pair of tough losses to open up its portion of the Easton Desert Classic Friday night. UNLV began the two-game set with a hard-fought, 3-1 setback to the #10 Oregon Ducks (5-1) in 10 innings of play before dropping a 6-0 decision to the #22 Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-0). Both contests took place at Eller Media Stadium, one of two sites for the four-day tournament that has features an 18-team, 45-game slate.
In game one, the Rebels went toe-to-toe with the Ducks, as the teams combined for four runs and seven hits. The Ducks opened the scoring after they loaded the bases after back-to-back walks and a bunt single. A wild pitch plated the first run of the contest with Courtney Ceo at the plate.
UNLV evened the score at 1-all when Samantha Juarez helped manufacture the game-tying run. Jaurez led off with a bunt single and then two batters later motored over to third on a single by Garie Blando. With Tayler Van Acker at the dish, Blando stole second with ease, as Oregon's backstop threw wildly on the attempt. When the errant throw rolled into the outfield, Jaurez scored to even up the score.
After four innings of scoreless play, the Ducks struck for two tallies in the 10th with help from the international tie-breaker in effect. With a runner on second base, Jamie Rae Sullivan took a base on balls to put runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt pushed both players into scoring position before Janie Takeda hit an RBI grounder to second. Courtney Ceo followed with a sacrifice fly to center to add an insurance run and increase the lead to 3-1.
Both UO's Cheridan Hawkins (4-1) and UNLV's Amanda Oliveto (0-3) tossed 10.0 frames of action. The former picked up the win behind 18 strikeouts despite allowing one run off of three hits. The latter, on the other hand, struck out six, but gave up three runs (two earned) off of four hits.
In game two, the Golden Gophers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead after two innings of play. Kaitlyn Richardson smacked a two-run double in the first before Taylor Le May added a solo home run.
Minnesota tacked on three more scores in the fourth off of two consecutive long balls. Richardson was to blame for the first two runs with her two-run homer, while Sara Groenewegen had a solo dinger moments later.
UM's Sara Moulton (4-0) carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning only to see Francesca Foti erase the opportunity with a one-out single up the middle. Moulton struck out nine against one hit.
Morgan Ettinger (1-1) was saddled with the loss in 1.0 inning of action. She was touched for three runs off of two hits.
The Rebels return to action Saturday with a 6:00 pm affair against the Utah Valley Wolverines.
