Box Score

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team (25-29 overall, 11-11 Mountain West) lost a 15-7 decision in six innings to the Fresno State Bulldogs (39-14, 19-4) Friday evening at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first inning of play only to see the Bulldogs score 14 of the next 17 runs in the affair. With the victory, FS claimed the MW's regular-season title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Scarlet & Gray was paced by home runs from Alyssa Cordova and Merina Ili. The former, who went 2-for-4 in the contest, had a grand slam in the first inning, while the latter had a two-run shot in the third and an RBI grounder an inning later. Fahren Glackin led the squad with three hits in four at-bats.

The Bulldogs kicked off the scoring with an RBI double by Kierra Willis in the first before Cordova answered in the home half of the inning. Glackin got the Rebel offensive started with a one-out single that was followed by a double by Samantha Juarez and a walk issued to Ili. Cordova then took a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left field.

FS shaved two runs off the Rebel lead in the second and then turned the tide with a seven-run outburst in the third. Bria Kennedy and Chase Leehong were responsible for the second-inning tallies with a sacrifice fly and an RBI single, respectively. In the third, the Bulldogs got RBI from Kennedy, Leehong (two), Brenna Moss and Michelle Solomon.

Moments after Ili hit her two-run homer in the bottom of the third, the Bulldogs struck for four runs off of five hits in the fourth. Moss had a two-run triple to open the scoring, while Malia Rivers and Solomon knocked in one each.

With FS on the verge of winning the game in the fifth due to the eight-run rule, Ili recorded an RBI off a groundout after a pair of Bulldog errors helped UNLV load the bases.

A solo home run by Kennedy in the sixth capped the game's scoring and separated the two sides by eight runs.

Moss, Kennedy and Leehong had three RBI apiece for the visitors, while Willis and Alyssa Villalpando both scattered three hits.

Hannah Harris (9-3) picked up the win for the Bulldogs in 2.1 innings of relief. Harris allowed one run off of five hits and one walk. She followed Jill Compton in the circle, who got the start for FS, but only lasted 2.1 frames after giving up six runs off of six hits.

Janine Petmecky (3-10) was tagged with the loss for UNLV in 2.0 innings. Petmecky was touched for eight runs (six earned) off of nine hits. Morgan Ettinger threw the final 3.0 stanzas for UNLV, and she surrendered seven runs (six earned) off of seven hits.

UNLV and FS closedown their three-game conference series Saturday at 12:00 pm. Prior to the contest, the Rebels will hold a ceremony recognizing their three seniors - Juarez, Emilie Valadez and Lexie McKinnon - for their time spent as members of the Scarlet & Gray.