March 15, 2014
BOX SCORES: Texas Tech 7, UNLV 2 | UNLV 9, Canisius 3
FULLERTON, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team went 1-1 Saturday on the second and final day of the Titan Classic held in Fullerton, Calif. The Rebels opened up with a 7-2 loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders (21-6) before they defeated the Canisius Golden Griffins (3-11), 9-3, in come-from-behind fashion. With the split, UNLV moved to 10-16 on the year.
The Scarlet & Gray was paced offensively by Tayler Van Acker and her team-highs in hits (four) and batting average (.571/4-for-7). Kwyn Cooper and Samantha Juarez had three hits apiece with the latter responsible for five of the team's 10 RBI. In all, 10 different players recorded at least one hit on the day and 10 scored a minimum of one run - Garie Blando scored twice.
In the circle, Alex Petrolia picked up the win vs. Canisius - her first of the year - and improved to 1-4. Petrolia threw a staff-best eight innings over two relief appearances. She allowed four runs (two earned) off of seven hits with one walk against one strikeout.
Against Texas Tech, the Rebels trailed by a run for the majority of the game until the Red Raiders tacked on four scores over the fifth and sixth frames.
UNLV jumped out to a 1-0 lead after its half of the first inning off a sac fly by Pauline Monreal, but the advantage was short-lived as Texas Tech answered with an RBI single by Cassie McClure.
The Rebels took the lead; once again, when Emily Haslinger smashed a Gretchen Aucoin (7-2) offering to center field in the second. Unfortunately, the Red Raiders scored the equalizing and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the stanza off a two-run triple by Sydni Emanuel.
After two scoreless frames, the Red Raiders pushed their lead to two with an RBI single by Kierra Miles in the fifth before they added three insurance tallies in the sixth off a one-run single by Sydnie Tapia and a two-run double by McClure.
Aucoin picked up the win in five frames of action. She struck out three, but was touched for two runs (one earned) off of three hits and two walks. Cara Custer earned her first save of the season in two innings of relief.
Amanda Oliveto (4-9) was saddled with the loss in 1.1 innings of work. Oliveto allowed three runs off of five hits. Petrolia and Morgan Ettinger combined to throw the final 4.2 innings.
Against Canisius, the Rebels fell behind by three through two stanzas, but fought back with nine unanswered runs for the victory.
The Golden Griffins jumped out quickly with a run in the bottom of the first after loading the bases prior to a sac fly by Lindsey Sifer.
Canisius tacked on two more tallies in the second off an RBI single by Jessica Berzins to score Michelle DelPrince. Berzins immediately got in a rundown between first and second to allow Samantha Sharkey to come home safely.
UNLV answered back with the long ball in the third and fourth innings. Valentino cranked a solo shot with one out to right field in the third before Juarez went deep for a grand slam in the fourth. Cooper and Francesca Foti reached base off of singles while Blando took a base on balls to force Canisius to go the bullpen. Moments after Jen Consaul relived her teammate Jenn Solis in the circle, Juarez turned the momentum in the Rebels' favor with her game-changing hit.
Juarez wasn't done in the affair as she recorded another RBI off a single in the sixth to score Emilie Valadez, who was in the game running for Foti.
The Rebels capped off their scoring with three runs in the seventh off five consecutive singles and a fielding miscue by Consaul in the circle. Lexie McKinnon knocked in two of the runs off a single, while the third scored on Consaul's error on a ball put in play by Juarez.
Ettinger got the start for UNLV, but only lasted two innings after she gave up three runs and seven hits. Petrolia came in next and threw four scoreless frames. Oliveto closed out the affair with one inning of work.
Solis (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs off of seven hits. Consaul didn't fair any better as she allowed five runs (four earned) off of eight hits.
UNLV returns to Las Vegas for a five-game home stand this week with a doubleheader against nationally ranked Arizona on Wednesday, March 19 followed by a three-game series (Friday, March 21 to Sunday, March 23) to open Mountain West play vs. in-state rival Nevada, Reno. The twin bill against the #6/8 Wildcats starts at noon.
NOTES: Juarez's five RBI vs. Canisius were a career high while her three hits tied a personal best that was set earlier this season against UC Davis on March 22 ... Her grand slam was the first of her career and the first for UNLV in 2014.
