University of Nevada Las Vegas
Utah Valley
2/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV softball scored nine runs in the third inning to defeat Utah Valley 11-1 in five innings on Sunday evening in the Sportco Kickoff Classic at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels improve to 3-1 while the Wolverines drop to 1-4.
UNLV's third inning couldn't have gone much better on offense. 17 Rebels got at-bats in the inning with 12 reaching base before an out was even recorded to force three pitching changes. Jamie DePippo led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a Myranda Bueno single to right field. Both baserunners advanced one base on a wild pitch before Janine Petmecky drew a walk. Another wild pitch allowed everyone to advance and Bueno to reach home safely. Emily Haslinger cleared the bases with a three-run home run to dead center field to give the Rebels a five run lead.
Alyssa Cordova then singled up to right field. Jamie Hatch came in as a runner and went to second after a single up the middle by Kwyn Cooper. Courtney Beavers loaded the bases up with a walk. Madison Rogers was hit by a pitch to bring in Hatch to score. Chrissi Omalza came into hit for Jadelyn Yadao-Valdez and drew another walk to allow Beavers to jog in home for another run. The walks continued when DePippo walked on a full count that knocked in Beavers. Bueno reached on a grounder to the shortstop that got one out but allowed Rogers to run in home for another run. Petmecky had a RBI single to center field to knock in DePippo, and Haslinger reached base for the second time on a fielding error by the third baseman to load the bases up again. A grounder to the first baseman followed by a pop out to the shortstop finally ended the inning. In total nine runs were scored off six hits, four walks and a hit by pitch.
Utah Valley actually had the early lead in the game with a run in the second inning. A leadoff double and two singles allowed the Wolverines to score with one out. Alyssa Batastini got out of the jam with a strike out and grounder to Petmecky at first base to end the inning.
The Rebels tied the game up during their turn at the plate in the second inning. Cordova doubled to left field to lead off the inning. With two outs Rogers hit her first collegiate double to score Cordova.
The final run scored by UNLV came in the fourth inning. Kylie Rasmussen hit a stand-up, leadoff double down the right field line in her first collegiate bat and went to third base on a passed ball. She scored on a fielder's choice to the shortstop by DePippo.
DePippo and Cordova both had two hits and six other Rebels recorded hits in the game. DePippo and Rogers collected two RBIs while Haslinger had three from her home run in the third.
Cooper earned her first win of the season by pitching the last three innings and only allowing one Wolverine to reach base on a walk while striking one out. Batastini in her first collegiate start allowed three hits and one run with three strikeouts in two innings pitched.
UNLV will face No. 20/19 Washington (4-0) and South Dakota (1-3) tomorrow in the final day of the Sportco Kick Off Classic in a doubleheader. The Rebels will square off with the Huskies at 10:00 a.m. followed by the Coyotes.
