Feb. 11, 2018 Box Score
UNLV 3 Southern Utah 0 | 2018 Sportco Kick Off Classic Tournament Page | Purchase Tickets | @UNLVSoftball
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV softball concluded its first weekend of the 2018 season with a second straight shutout Sunday afternoon, beating Southern Utah 3-0 at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels went 4-1 overall in the debut of new head coach
Kristie Fox, with their only loss coming to 16th-ranked Minnesota.
Senior
Janine Petmecky rounded out a stellar performance by the Rebel pitching staff over the weekend, giving up just four hits and striking out a career-high seven SUU batters in a complete game outing. Overall, the trio of
Charlie Masterson,
Breana Burke and Petmecky gave up a combined seven runs, 24 hits and a 1.54 ERA in five games.
Despite getting shutout one game, the Rebel offense was solid as they scored 18 runs on 37 hits, with junior
Myranda Bueno leading the way with a team-high seven hits on the weekend, good for a .538 batting average.
The back-to-back shutouts against Utah Valley and Southern Utah are the first for the Rebels since March of 2013.
THE TURNING POINT: With UNLV up 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Rebels had runners on second and third with two outs. Against Minnesota they weren't able to take advantage of those opportunities, but they didn't let that happen against the Thunderbirds. Senior third baseman Jade Yadao-Valdez came to the plate and delivered the dagger - sending a shot over the shortstop's head to score both runs and make it 3-0. SUU never got close again after that.
REBEL OF THE GAME: Janine Petmecky gave up just four hits and recorded seven strikeouts in just her fourth career complete-game performance.
STAT OF THE GAME: Petmecky's seven strikeouts were a new career-high, and three of the seven came in the final two innings to preserve the win.
QUOTABLE: Head coach Kristie Fox:
On the team performance this weekend: "I was really proud of how they competed. A coaching change can sometimes be tough and we had to spend the weekend getting to know each other in game situations and I think that the team did a really good job of buying in and taking advantage of their opportunities. I think we learned a lot as a staff and learned a lot as a team about ourselves this weekend."
On the pitching staff:
"I think that our pitching staff has been working really hard in the bullpen and I think Coach Tina did a good job of finding a way to have each of them be successful. I think that's what this season is going to be about is them all competing as a staff and having combinations of games moving forward. I was really impressed and I think they did a good job of hitting their spots and that's what you've got to do when you get to this level."
On how this weekend can help the team's confidence moving forward:
"I think that when we did the things that we talk about we were successful and it reaffirmed all of the things we want to focus on going forward, so it was a start."
REBEL NOTES:
* This is the first time since 2010 the Rebels have started the season 4-1
* UNLV has now shutout Southern Utah at the Sportco Kick Off Classic for two consecutive years
* Fox is the third UNLV coach to go 4-1 through the first five games in their first season, joining UNLV Hall of Fame coach Shan McDonald (1987-2003) and former coach Pete Manarino (2009-12)
* This is the 11th straight year UNLV has hosted the Sportco Kick Off Classic to open the season
UP NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will be home again next weekend, hosting the newly named Marucci Desert Classic Feb. 15-19. The tournament, previously called the DeMarini Desert Classic, features 18 teams and will be played at Eller Media Stadium and Stephanie Lynn Park in Henderson. The Rebels' first game is Friday, Feb. 16 at 1:30 p.m. against Idaho State.
