Box Score

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV Rebels (15-18 overall, 1-4 Mountain West) suffered a 6-3 setback in eight innings to the New Mexico Lobos (19-15, 3-2) Saturday afternoon at Eller Media Stadium in Mountain West softball action. Moments after seeing UNLV leave the would-be game-winning run stranded at third base in the bottom of the seventh, UNM plated three runs in the eighth to break a 3-all deadlock.

The Lobos got things started with a quick score in the first inning. Brandi Heimburg led off with a double to left center moving up one base at a time off a pair of fly outs. Jasmine Casados was credited with an RBI with a sacrifice fly that allowed Heimburg to touch the plate.

The Cherry & Silver upped its lead to three runs after Karissa Haleman hit a 2-run home run off Kwyn Cooper in the fourth. That hit ended Cooper's stay in the circle and forced UNLV to summon Janine Petmecky (1-6) from the bullpen. The reliever gave up two singles to the Lobos, but worked out of the jam and retired 10 straight batters until the decisive eighth inning.

The Rebel offense was able to get at least one runner on base in each frame, but didn't capitalize until the sixth. Trailing by three, the Scarlet & Gray strung together a pair of singles by Alyssa Cordova and Samantha Jaurez that was followed by an RBI double to left by Emily Haslinger that also brought a pitching change.

UNM called upon Krissy Fortner (5-3) in relief of Lauren Soles, and the new hurler struck out the first batter she faced and got the next (Francesa Foti) to ground out; however, UNLV scored on the play. The Rebels pulled even at 3-all when Jamie DePippo hit a seeing-eye single through the left side to bring home Lexie McKinnon, who was running for Haslinger.

The bottom of the seventh shared many similarities to Friday night's contest with Forter in the circle for UNM and Blando leading off for UNLV. The Rebel batter, who ended the first meeting with a game-winning, walk-off homer, led off the home half with a double to left. Cordova then dropped a sacrifice bunt to push Blando to third base. Unfortunately, Fortner was able to get a pop out and a strikeout to end the threat.

The Lobos turned the momentum in their favor in the eighth after getting runners to second and first off a single and a walk, respectively. Chelsea Johnson stepped up and hit a double to left to break the stalemate. Following a Rebel pitching change that brought Morgan Ettinger into the affair, UNM got two more runs off a fielder's choice bunt from Haleman and a single by Mia Hignojos.

Fortner picked up the win in 3.0 innings of relief. She struck out two and gave up two hits after Soles threw the first five frames and was touched for three runs off of seven hits and one walk.

Petmecky was tagged with the loss in 4.0 innings of work. She surrendered three runs off of four hits, while striking out two and walking one. Cooper and Ettinger combined to throw four innings with three runs off of six hits.

UNLV and UNM conclude their three-game MW series Sunday at EMS. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 pm. The day is being billed as "Rebel Kids Club Day" with festivities - inflatable games and prizes - beginning at 11:00 am.