March 13, 2014

2014 UNLV Softball Weekly Notes - Week Six

Titan Classic Tournament Central

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Just days after completing their run at the UCLA/Cal State Northridge Invitational in Los Angeles, the UNLV Rebels turn back around for another tournament in Southern California this weekend.

UNLV will play four contests in Fullerton at the Titan Classic (March 14-15) with two games scheduled each day beginning with Friday's 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm affairs with DePaul and Cal State Fullerton, respectively. The Rebels finish the Classic on Saturday with back-to-back outings vs. Texas Tech (12:00 pm) and Canisius (2:30 pm).

Friday, March 1401:00 pm    UNLV vs. DePaul (Field 1)06:00 pm    CS Fullerton vs. UNLV (Field 1)
Saturday, March 1512:00 pm    Texas Tech vs. UNLV (Field 1)02:30 pm    Canisius vs. UNLV (Field 2)
*First team listed is in the third base dugout & has been designated as the home team.

ON DECK: The UNLV Rebels return to Las Vegas next week after they concluded a nine-game stretch spread over a two-weekend period in Southern California.

UNLV will play five contests in a span of four days next week beginning with a doubleheader against #6/8 Arizona scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 (12:00 pm). The Rebels follow that up with a three-game series against in-state rival Nevada, Reno to open up the 2014 Mountain West softball season.

LOOKING BACK A WEEK: The UNLV Rebels went 2-3 last week at the UCLA/Cal State Northridge Invitational in Los Angeles. UNLV won its first and last games of the tournament against Charleston Southern and Georgetown, respectively, by identical 6-1 scores. The Rebels suffered losses in between those wins to #4/3 UCLA (8-0), Loyola Chicago (10-6) and CSU Bakersfield (4-1).

The Scarlet & Gray was led by a quartet of players with .400 or better batting averages with a minimum of six hits.

Stefany Valentino led all with her .533 hitting clip off an 8-for-15 showing at the plate and .556 on-base percentage.

Garie Blando scattered a team-best 10 hits and also topped all with four runs, 11 total bases and three stolen bases. Blando hit .500 (10-for-20).

Emilie Valadez hit .500, as well, with seven hits, two of which were doubles. Valadez was second overall in slugging with a .643 effort.

Samantha Juarez rounded out the foursome with a .400 average, six hits and three runs.

FIVE WEEKS IN: The UNLV Rebels have played 22 games through five weeks and has six players hitting .306 or better with a minimum of 15 hits.

Garie Blando leads the team in both batting average (.391), hits (27) and sac bunts (four) and sits tied for the top spot in runs (11) and stolen bases (five). Blando is also close to the top in RBI (10), total bases (377), slugging (.536) and on-base percentage (.408).

Samantha Juarez is second on the team in batting average (.379) and on-base percentage (.419). Juarez has also chipped in 22 hits, eight runs and five RBI.

Pauline Monreal leads the team in RBI (23), total bases (47) and slugging percentage (.783) and is third in batting average (.367).

Stefany Valentino is first in walks (11), sac flies (three) and on-base percentage (.425) and second in hits (23). Valentino has also contributed 10 runs, six RBI and two sac bunts.

Emilie Valadez and Emily Haslinger round out the six pack of players with their .313 and .306 batting averages, respectively. They have racked up 15 hits apiece with the former scoring six runs and plating two RBI to the latter's eight runs and 10 RBI.