DEMARINI DESERT CLASSIC//ELLER MEDIA STADIUM//FEB. 16-19

Tournament Central - Full Results

BOX SCORE: UNLV 8 NORTHERN IOWA 7 LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball program wrapped up the first day of the 2017 DeMarini Desert Classic with a come-from-behind, 8-7 win over Northern Iowa on Thursday at Eller Media Stadium. With the victory, the Rebels not only improved to 4-2 on the year but fifth-year head coach Lisa Dodd recorded her 100th career triumph in the process.

The Scarlet & Gray overcame its third deficit of the game in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run single from Justine Federe that scored Jade Yadao-Valdez and Janine Petmecky. The two runners both reached base off a pair of fielder's choice plays.

Morgan Ettinger (3-0) and the Rebel defense held onto the lead during the Panthers final three at-bats. Ettinger picked up her third win in 4.0 innings of relief. She struck out five against four hits, two walks and one run - a fourth inning tally that broke a 6-all tie.

UNLV ran into some trouble as Kwyn Cooper allowed three unearned runs off of four hits in the first inning.

The Rebels struck back in the bottom of the first scoring three runs of their own thanks to Mara Kemmer reaching first on a fielding error, followed by a Yadao-Valdez single and a couple of stolen bases from the former and the latter. Petmecky then brought home the first run by way of a fielder's choice. Another error by the Panthers led to Yadao-Valdez scoring the second run, followed by yet another error by the Northern Iowa second baseman, bringing home Petmecky, who tied things up after one inning.

UNLV pulled ahead in the second home with help from Alyssa Buchanan's inability to throw the ball. After giving up back-to-back singles from Myranda Bueno and Kemmer, Yadao-Valdez reached base on a throwing error by the UNI pitcher that allowed Bueno to score. Kemmer would later score on a wild pitch during Brianna Gatlin's at-bat.

The Panthers pushed back ahead with three runs in the third with two of them coming off a home run by Bailey Lange.

Bueno was responsible for another Rebel run in the third when she laced an RBI single to shave the deficit to two runs. Kiley Harrison scored the run after initially reached off a hit by pitch and then moved up one base at a time off bunt attempts.

Breana Burke made her first appearance in the circle as a Rebel in the third inning. Burke relieved Cooper and got the final two outs to close out the frame.

UNLV is back in action tomorrow with a doubleheader where they will play Weber State at 2:30 p.m. followed by Memphis at 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. Fifteen teams total will compete in the four-day tournament at Eller Media Stadium and Stephanie Lynn Park in Henderson.