March 19, 2014
BOX SCORES: Arizona 3, UNLV 2 | Arizona 7, UNLV 5
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team took the #7/9 Arizona Wildcats to the wire in both games of their Wednesday doubleheader at Eller Media Stadium. Unfortunately, Arizona (25-6) came out on top in each contest with a 3-2 decision in game one and a 7-5 victory in the second contest. With the losses, the Rebels' record drops to 10-18.
UNLV was led offensively by a three-hit effort and a .750 batting average from Garie Blando, who also scored a team-best three runs. Tayler Van Acker and Kwyn Cooper had two hits apiece with the former hitting .400 to the latter's .286 showing.
Game One One inning after leaving the bases loaded, Arizona made the most of its opportunity a frame later with help from a two-run single by Kelsey Rodriguez off Amanda Oliveto (4-10). Hallie Wilson began the inning with a double before Kellie Fox and Chelsea Goodacre joined her on the bases with back-to-back walks.
The Wildcats added a would-be insurance run, which eventually turned into the game-winning tally, in the sixth when Katiyana Mauga hit a solo dinger to right.
The Rebels mounted an offensive in the bottom of the seventh. After the first out had been recorded, Cooper singled to center moments before Blando took a base on balls. Samantha Juarez then delivered a two-run shot to the gap in left center off Estela Pinon (7-4) to pull UNLV within one at 3-2.
Juarez's hit forced Arizona to go to its bullpen and bring in Kenzie Fowler, who eventually got into trouble when the Rebels loaded the bases off a fielder's choice and two walks. Fowler; however, managed to spell the threat when she struck out Francesca Foti to end the ball game.
Pinon picked up the win in 6.1 innings of work as she allowed two runs off of four hits. She struck out two, but walked six. Fowler earned the save in 0.2 frames.
Game Two Both teams struck early with a total of six runs in the opening stanza. The Wildcats got four of the runs off a grand slam by Mauga after the three base runners reached off walks issued by Alex Petrolia. UNLV countered with a pair of scores in its half of the inning.
Blando led off UNLV's half of the first with a walk and stole second before Stefany Valentino was walked by Nancy Bowling. With runners on first and second, Pauline Monreal laced a single to right for the first run of the frame to score Blando and push Valentino to third. The Rebels then attempted a double steal, but the throw by catcher Kelsey Rodriguez was errantly thrown towards second and it allowed Valentino to score with ease.
The game remained a two-run affair for three more innings until Arizona tacked on a run to its side of the scoreboard in the fifth. Goodacre was responsible for the run with an RBI double.
Down to their final at-bat, UNLV responded by getting its first two runners on base with Blando walking and Juarez reaching on an error. The Wildcats called on Fowler, once again, to quell the Rebel momentum. She managed to get the first two batters she faced to strikeout and groundout, but Van Acker was able to crank a ball over the fence for the equalizer and pull even at 5-all.
Unfortunately, Arizona wound up getting the game-winning hit in the eighth when Mo Mercado took Morgan Ettinger's (5-4) pitch deep to left for a two-run homer. Mauga, who walked with one out, scored on Mercado's hit.
Bowling took a no-decision in the game after throwing the first six innings. She allowed four runs (one earned) off of five hits with five walks and five strikeouts. Fowler (4-2) wound up blowing the save attempt, but picked up the win in two innings of relief. She fanned three, but allowed a run off of one hit.
Petrolia, like Bowling, was handed a no-decision. She threw five innings and allowed five runs off of four hits. She walked four and struck out two. Ettinger was tagged with the loss in three frames of relief. She gave up two runs off of one hit with one walk and one strikeout.
UNLV returns to action with a three-game series to open up Mountain West play Friday through Sunday against in-state rival Nevada, Reno. Friday's game is scheduled for a 6:00 pm first pitch. Saturday and Sunday are slated to begin at 1:00 pm.
