May 10, 2014
Box Score
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - For the fourth straight year, the UNLV softball program has won its final game - "Senior Day" - at home with help from the Rebels 8-0 run-rule of the Utah State Aggies at Eller Media Stadium. On the offensive side of the plate, four seniors contributed four hits, four RBI and two runs, while the fifth - Amanda Oliveto - threw a complete game, four-hitter for the victory in five innings.
With the win, the Scarlet & Gray finished the 2014 season with a 26-28 record and a 15-9 mark in the Mountain West. USU, on the other hand, closed out its year 18-37 overall and 6-18 in league play.
By virtue of its win today, San Diego State claimed the 2014 conference title with a 16-8 showing. UNLV and Fresno State tied for second place (15-9) - the fourth time the Rebels have finished second since joining the MW in 2000. Boise State (14-10) and Colorado State (13-11) came in fourth and fifth, respectively, after beginning the week in the running for first place.
UNLV was led Saturday by multiple-hit games from Garie Blando and Tayler Van Acker. The former was perfect at the plate with a 3-for-3 showing, while the latter went 2-for-3. Blando also scored three of the team's eight runs. Van Acker and Samantha Juarez were responsible for four of the RBI, as each knocked in two apiece.
The Rebels got things going early with two runs in their half of the first inning. Blando led off with a single to center and wound up trotting around the bases when Juarez crushed USU's Noelle Johnson's pitch over the fence in left for a two-run home run.
The lead ballooned to five runs when UNLV strung together a three-hit, three-run outburst in the third stanza. Blando got the inning started with a double to left center before Stefany Valentino joined her on the bases after an error. Van Acker followed the miscue with a two-run double to push the lead to four at 4-0. Van Acker managed to make her way home after a single by Jamie DePippo and a wild pitch was uncorked by Johnson.
UNLV used four extra-base hits to score its three final runs between the fourth and fifth frames. Balilea crushed a dinger to left to kick off a two-run fourth, while Blando and Monreal connected on a pair of doubles for the second tally. Haslinger ended the affair with a solo shot to center.
Oliveto held the Aggie offense at bay throughout the contest. They left five runners stranded in the game with only two of them in scoring position - both in the third inning. She went the distance for her second shutout and 20th complete game of the year. She struck out three and did not walk one batter.
Johnson was roughed up for eight runs (five earned) off of 10 hits in 4.2 frames of action. She struck out one against no walks.
NOTES: This weekend's sweep gives UNLV two for the year to go along with one to begin the conference season against Nevada, Reno ... UNLV won five of its eight conference series, two by 3-0 counts and three more by 2-1 margins ... Seven Rebels end the season with their names listed in the career and single-season record book.
Valentino
Career: third in batting average (.378); fourth in on-base percentage (.450); seventh in both hits (214) and walks (79); 10th in both runs (123) and slugging percentage (.514).
Single-Season: seventh in batting average (.415 in 2013).
Monreal
Career: third in RBI (157); fifth in home runs (34); eighth in doubles (39); seventh in slugging percentage (.535); ninth in total bases (309).
Single-Season: first in RBI (60 in 2014); sixth in home runs (14 in 2014); 10th in both slugging percentage (.685 in 2014) and doubles (13 in 2013).
Blando
Career: third in on-base percentage (.460); seventh in batting average (.359)/
Single-Season: sixth in batting average (.412), runs (47) and on-base percentage (.488); seventh in hits (73).
Haslinger
Career: eighth in slugging percentage (.602).
Single-Season: third in home runs (15).
Van Acker
Career: first in hit-by-pitch (29); fifth in on-base percentage (.440); sixth in walks (82).
Single-Season: first & second in hit-by-pitch; sixth in on-base percentage (.481 in 2011).
Balilea
Career: second in hit-by-pitch (24).
Single-Season: second in hit-by-pitch (10 in 2012).
Oliveto
Career: second in appearances (163); third in starts (120), complete games (85), innings pitched (825.2), strikeouts (615); fourth in wins (67), saves (six), sixth in shutouts (15).
