April 19, 2014
Box Score
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team picked up its third series win in Mountain West play with its 12-9 victory over the New Mexico Lobos Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M. The Rebels triumph was aided by a trio of home runs that produced half of their run production.
With the win, the Scarlet & Gray improved to 19-24 on the year and 9-6 in the MW. UNM, on the other hand, fell to 13-29 overall and 4-11 in the conference.
The first nine runs of the contest were a result of four home runs. Jamie DePippo kicked off the scoring with a solo shot in the second that was countered by a two-run blast by UNM's Jordan Sjostrand. An inning later - in the third, Pauline Monreal went yard for a three-run blast that landed six rows deep in the left field bleachers. Unfortunately, the Lobos struck back with a three-run dinger by Mariah Rimmer to stake themselves to their second lead of the day.
The Rebels were able to regain the lead for good and put some breathing room between themselves and the Lobos with six runs in the fourth. With the bases loaded, Jaexie Balilea hit an RBI single to even the score at 5-all. Three batters later, Samantha Juarez stepped up to the plate and laced a two-run double to right field that put UNLV in the driver's seat. Juarez's hit forced UNM to go to the bullpen and bring in Carrie Sheehan in relief of Tess McPherson. Stefany Valentino quickly welcomed McPherson to the game with a two-run single. A bit later, Emily Haslinger had a run-scoring single that capped off the six-run outburst.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Lobos struck for three runs off a pair of singles by Naomi Tellez and Rimmer. The former's hit brought in two runs while the latter's produced one score.
The Lobos pulled within one at 10-9 in the fifth when Brandi Heimburg registered an RBI single, but that was as close as the hosts would get.
UNLV tacked on two insurance measures in the sixth to push the lead to three at 12-9. Monreal got the offensive going with a one-out single before she made her way home when Haslinger walloped a ball deep to left center and off a tractor behind the stands.
The Rebels had five players notch multiple-hit games with Juarez and DePippo leading the quintet with three hits apiece. Monreal, Haslinger and Kwyn Cooper had two hits each.
Morgan Ettinger began the game for the Rebels and only lasted 3.2 innings in the circle after she gave up eight runs (five earned) off of 10 hits. She managed to walk one and strike out one.
The relief pitching tandem of Alex Petrolia and Cooper threw the final 3.1 innings for UNLV for the win and a save, respectively. Petrolia (1-4) earned the win went 1.1 innings and allowed only one run off of four hits. Cooper tossed two scoreless frames and was only touched for two hits for her first save.
McPherson (0-7) was saddled with the loss in 3.1 innings of work. She surrendered nine runs off of 10 hits and two walks. Sheehan went the remaining 3.2 and only gave up three runs off of five hits.
NOTES: UNLV has scored in double-digits in three straight games - the last time that happened was at the start of the 2011 season against Mississippi State (Feb. 11: 10 runs), UC Riverside (Feb. 11: 13 runs) and Washington (Feb. 12: 13 runs) ... UNLV has notched five straight double-digit hit games dating to at least the 2005 season ... Five Rebels extended their season-best hitting streaks Saturda with at least one hit in the game ... Valentino's is at 15, Blando's is at 12, Juarez and DePippo are at nine, and Haslinger is at eight ... In UNLV's single-season record book, Monreal moved up to third in RBI (47) and home runs (13) ... In UNLV's career record book, Monreal moved up to third in RBI (149) ... Since Mountain West play began, UNLV has 10 double-digit hit games (18 total), five double-digit run games (six total) and three double-digit RBI games (four total).
