Box Score

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team (15-17 overall, 1-3 Mountain West) jumped back into the win column with a big, 6-5 victory over the New Mexico Lobos (18-15, 2-2) Friday night at Eller Media Stadium. Garie Blando, the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year, was the catalyst for the Rebel offense with a 3-for-3 day at the plate that included a pair of solo home runs - one of which was a walk-off, game-winner - as well as four runs and two RBI.

Blando accounted for half of the Scarlet & Gray's hits (six) with a single mixed in with the two homers and a fifth-inning walk. She played a hand in two thirds of the team's run production with four touches of home plate - two of which were off the balls hit over the fence.

The Rebels, who snapped a seven-game losing streak with the win, got their offense ignited with a two-hit first inning that also featured a pair of sacrifice bunts. Blando led off with a single through the left side before moving to second off a sac bunt by Alyssa Cordova. Emily Haslinger then laced a single up the middle to put runners on the corners. Merina Ili then stepped up and dropped a perfect bunt up the third-base line that UNM catcher Mia Hignojos fielded, but was unable to apply a tag on Blando running home.

After a scoreless second inning, the Lobos were able to even the score at 1-all off an infield hit by Mariah Rimmer. Jasmine Casados, who was at second base, came around to score following a close play at first base.

Blando answered UNM's third-inning tally with the first of her two solo dingers to push UNLV back into the lead at 2-1.

The teams combined to score seven runs between the fifth and sixth innings with the Lobos plating four to Rebels' three. The visitors from Albuquerque strung together three straight hits in the fifth with Casados and Rimmer being credited with an RBI apiece off a double and a single, respectively. The former's hit brought a close to Morgan Ettinger's day in the circle, while the latter's rudely welcomed Janine Petmecky (1-5) into the contest for UNLV.

The Rebels got some help from a pair of Lobo fielding miscues in the home half of the fifth. Emilie Valadez led off with a double, which was followed by a walk issued to Blando. With runners at first and second, Cordova hit a grounder to Shelbie Franc at second that was misplayed and allowed each runner to advance two bases. After the error, UNM went to the bullpen and summoned Krissy Fortner (4-3) into the circle. She promptly struck out the first batter she faced before she got the second hit a grounder to Casados at third base. Casados came up throwing in an attempt to get Blando streaking towards home, but her throw was wide of Hignojos and the run scored with ease.

UNM was able to pull even, once again, with two runs off of three hits and a Rebel error in the top of the sixth. Hignojos came back with a walk to start the stanza. She was joined on the base paths by Franc, who reached via a fielding error. Chelsea Johnson was called upon as a pinch hitter, and she drilled a double to deep center to bring home one run and cut the deficit to one at 5-4. After a single that wound up seeing a runner tagged out and a fly out, Michala Erickson brought the game to a stalemate at 5-all with an RBI single to center field.

Just moments after the Lobos' rally, Blando knocked the fourth pitch she saw from Fortner over the fence in center.

Petmecky picked up her first win as a Rebel in 2.1 innings of relief. She allowed two runs (one earned) off of six hits with one walk against one strikeout. She followed Ettinger, who went 4.2 innings in the circle with three runs, two walks and one strikeout.

Fortner was tagged with the loss in two innings of work. She allowed one run off of two hits. Her predecessor, Sheehan, lasted four frames and surrendered five runs (two earned) off of four hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts.

The Rebels and Lobos return to EMS for game two of their three-game MW set. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm. The game is being billed as "Rebel Red Saturday," and all fans in red can get specially priced $4 tickets. As always children under 12 are free.