University of Nevada Las Vegas
Louisiana-Monroe
3/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team (10-8) concluded its portion of the Alexis Park Resort Classic Saturday evening with a pair of low-scoring victories over the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (14-5) and Idaho State Bengals (8-10). The fifth inning was the turning point in both affairs, as UNLV got an RBI single from Garie Blando in the 2-1 win over ULM, while a throwing error assisted in the 4-1 ISU triumph.
Pitching was major factor in helping the Scarlet & Gray secure both wins. Morgan Ettinger (4-4, two saves) threw a combined nine innings to earn a complete-game win over the Warhawks and two frames of relief for a save against the Bengals. Ettinger allowed only one unearned run against seven hits and one walk. She struck out three total.
Kwyn Cooper (5-2) earned the second win in five innings of work. Cooper was touched for one unearned run versus ISU off eight hits. She walked two against two strikeouts.
The Rebel offense was led by a pair of 3-for-5 outings from Garie Blando and Samantha Juarez. The former scored one and paced the team with two RBI, while the latter touched home plate a team-best two times to couple with one RBI.
Against ULM, UNLV struck first with a solo home run by Merina Ili.
The Warhawks evened the score at 1-all in the fourth when Vanessa Garcia, who initially reached on a single and stole second, came around on a Rebel fielding miscue.
The momentum swung back in the Rebels' favor one stanza later. Alyssa Cordova led off with a double to left against Melanie Coyne (2-3). After a sacrifice bunt moved Cordova to third base, Blando laced an RBI double to right to undo the stalemate.
Coyne went six innings in the circle and gave up two runs off of six hits. She struck out seven and walked one.
Against ISU, the Bengals took a 1-0 lead after their half of the first inning off two hits and three errors. The lone score was allowed when Brooke Stover was unable to hang onto the ball following a tag of ISU's runner at the plate.
UNLV pulled even in the third with an RBI single by Blando. Juarez led off with a single and quickly moved over to third after sacrifice bunts by Stover and Emilie Valadez before Blando's base knock off Ashlyn Ames (2-3).
The Rebels loaded the bags in the fifth and with the help of an ISU throwing error, which helped them take command of the game. ISU's Hailey Breakwell fielded a grounder by Ili cleanly, but threw low and wide of her catcher, Vicky Galasso, to allow Valadez and Blando to score.
Juarez added an insurance run in the sixth when she smashed Bailey Foster's 0-2 offering over the fence in left.
Ames was saddled with the loss in 4.1 innings of work. She was touched for three runs (one earned) off six hits. Foster, who entered in relief in the fifth, went 1.2 frames of relief with one run and one hit against her.
