5/12/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 12, 2018
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV softball was hoping to send its seniors out on a winning note Saturday in the last home game of their careers, but it wasn't in the cards as Colorado State (26-21, 10-14) took the regular season finale 3-1. Despite the loss, the Rebels finished out the regular season strong, winning 10 of their last 13 conference games to finish with a 31-18 record and a 13-11 mark in conference play - their best overall record since 2010 and most Mountain West wins since 2014. It was also the first time they've reached the 30-win threshold in eight years.
While an NCAA bid is unlikely to happen, the Scarlet and Gray have a great chance of playing in the postseason by way of the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC), which is sponsored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and operated by Triple Crown Sports, Inc., a company that produces events for college and youth athletics. The new tournament was introduced in 2017 and gives teams with winning records who don't make the NCAA tournament an opportunity to keep playing.
In just her first year as head coach, Kristie Fox has tied the program record for most wins in the first season at the helm, matching former Rebel head coach Pete Manarino, who led UNLV to 31 in 2009.
The Rebels' five-game streak of scoring in the first inning came to an end Saturday, with the offense stymied for most of the day as they scored just one run in the fifth inning. Junior Myranda Bueno recorded two of UNLV's four hits on the day, with her leadoff single in the fifth sparking the offense. She eventually came around to score the Rebel's lone run of the day on a sacrifice fly by freshman Mia Trejo.
Colorado State collected 10 hits and scored runs in the second, fourth and six innings on UNLV starter Janine Petmecky to muster just enough offense for the win. The loss moved the right-hander's record to 19-7 this year and was her first loss in her last six starts. While Petmecky would have preferred another win on senior day, her 19 wins rank second-most in a single-season in program history and if the Rebels get the chance to keep playing, she will have an opportunity to match or break the top single-season win mark of 21.
THE TURNING POINT: Trejo's sacrifice fly cut the Ram lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth and gave the Rebels some life, but CSU responded in the top half of the sixth with a run of their own and UNLV wasn't able to rally after that.
STAT OF THE GAME: Bueno was the only player to record more than one hit for UNLV on the day, accounting for half of the Rebel hits in the game.
QUOTABLE: Head coach Kristie Fox:
While an NCAA bid is unlikely to happen, the Scarlet and Gray have a great chance of playing in the postseason by way of the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC), which is sponsored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and operated by Triple Crown Sports, Inc., a company that produces events for college and youth athletics. The new tournament was introduced in 2017 and gives teams with winning records who don't make the NCAA tournament an opportunity to keep playing.
In just her first year as head coach, Kristie Fox has tied the program record for most wins in the first season at the helm, matching former Rebel head coach Pete Manarino, who led UNLV to 31 in 2009.
The Rebels' five-game streak of scoring in the first inning came to an end Saturday, with the offense stymied for most of the day as they scored just one run in the fifth inning. Junior Myranda Bueno recorded two of UNLV's four hits on the day, with her leadoff single in the fifth sparking the offense. She eventually came around to score the Rebel's lone run of the day on a sacrifice fly by freshman Mia Trejo.
Colorado State collected 10 hits and scored runs in the second, fourth and six innings on UNLV starter Janine Petmecky to muster just enough offense for the win. The loss moved the right-hander's record to 19-7 this year and was her first loss in her last six starts. While Petmecky would have preferred another win on senior day, her 19 wins rank second-most in a single-season in program history and if the Rebels get the chance to keep playing, she will have an opportunity to match or break the top single-season win mark of 21.
THE TURNING POINT: Trejo's sacrifice fly cut the Ram lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth and gave the Rebels some life, but CSU responded in the top half of the sixth with a run of their own and UNLV wasn't able to rally after that.
STAT OF THE GAME: Bueno was the only player to record more than one hit for UNLV on the day, accounting for half of the Rebel hits in the game.
QUOTABLE: Head coach Kristie Fox:
"I'm really proud of this team. They really wanted to do something different this year, they wanted to play with a lot of passion and we gave them an environment where they could feel like they could do that - they took advantage of it and they ran with it. It's all about the players and they are the ones that had the success, so I'm just very proud of them. Today just wasn't our day, we were smoking the ball right at them and they were making the plays. Sometimes that happens and the good thing is now we've go to wait for our bid to the other postseason tournament and keep the game rolling. I'm really proud of the seniors, they've been great for us. They'v really helped me learn about UNLV and what being a Rebel is all about and I hope to continue those traditions for them."
REBEL NOTES:
REBEL NOTES:
* The loss ended a five game winning streak for UNLV - their longest of the year - but UNLV does finish the regular season having won 10 of their last 13 conference games. That came after a stretch of seven straight Mountain West losses
* UNLV won its last four Mountain West series after only winning one of their first four
* The Rebels have reached the 30-win mark for the first time since the team went 33-20 in 2010. The 13 conference wins are the most since the team won 15 in 2014.
* At 31 wins, Kristie Fox is tied with former UNLV head coach Pete Manarino for most wins in their first year at the helm. Manarino won 31 in his first season in 2009.
* Petmecky notched four more strikeouts Saturday to bring her season total to 140, which is tied for seventh-most in a single season
UP NEXT FOR THE REBELS: After the NCAA tournament field is announced Sunday afternoon, the Rebels will find out if they will receive a bid to the NISC. If they earn the invite, they will likely play Thursday or Friday of next week in the first round.
UP NEXT FOR THE REBELS: After the NCAA tournament field is announced Sunday afternoon, the Rebels will find out if they will receive a bid to the NISC. If they earn the invite, they will likely play Thursday or Friday of next week in the first round.
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, May 06
Tuesday, May 05
Wednesday, March 25
Tuesday, March 24
