May 16, 2018 | @UNLVSoftball
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV softball began its first postseason appearance since 2009 on a high note, beating Weber State (28-25) 4-1 Wednesday night at Eller Media Stadium to advance to the regional semifinals of the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC). The Rebels, who are the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and one of four regional hosts, relied on their recent winning formula of early offense and another stellar performance by 2018 Mountain West All-Conference First Team selection
Janine Petmecky to top the Wildcats.
UNLV (32-18) is now one win shy of matching the program's most wins in eight years, while
Kristie Fox now has the most wins for a first-year head coach in program history.
Petmecky, who earned her second career all-conference honor earlier in the day Wednesday, picked up her 20th win after allowing just one run on five hits with six strikeouts in her 16th complete game performance of the season. The right-hander is one win shy of tying the single-season mark for most wins in program history, while her 16 complete games ranks 10th all-time in a single-season.
Offensively, UNLV scattered runs over four different innings with six different Rebels recording at least one hit, led by a 3-for-3 night by senior third baseman Jade Yadao-Valdez. Petmecky was the other Rebel to register more than one hit, going 2-for-4 in the game.
THE TURNING POINT: After the Wildcats cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the sixth, the Rebels responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame with an insurance run to put the game away for good. It all started with two outs and Myranda Bueno hustled out a grounder and forced an error by Weber State to advance to second. Petmecky was up next and sent a single to the WSU shortstop, who overthrew her first baseman, allowing Bueno to score from second.
STAT OF THE GAME: In her 3-for-3 performance, all three of Yadao-Valdez's hits were infield singles.
REBEL OF THE GAME: It's hard not to choose Petmecky when she limits the opponents to just one run on five hits in yet another complete game outing for her whopping 20th win. Her six strikeouts also gave her 146 for the year, moving her into fifth on the program's single-season strikeout list.
REBEL NOTES: * The Rebels have won 11 of their last 14 games dating back to April 8.
* The Rebels are one win shy of matching the program's most wins since 2010 as that squad went 33-20 on the year.
* At 32 wins, Kristie Fox now moves ahead of former UNLV head coach Pete Manarino for most wins by a UNLV head coach in his/her first season at the helm.
* UNLV scored in the first inning for the sixth time in the last seven games.* Over the last seven games, Petmecky has gone 17-for-23 (.739) with nine runs scored and 11 RBI.
* The Rebels are making their first postseason appearance since 2009
* The NISC is in its second year of existence and is sponsored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and operated by Triple Crown Sports Inc.
UP NEXT FOR THE REBELS: The NISC Las Vegas Regional continues Thursday with two elimination games at noon and three before UNLV faces UC Riverside at 6 p.m. in the regional semifinal. The Highlanders took down in-state rival UNR 10-0 in six innings Wednesday afternoon. The 12 p.m. game will feature Utah Valley and UNR and the 3 p.m. game, with the winner of that game taking on Weber State at 3 p.m. The loser of tomorrow's semifinal matchup will head to the loser's bracket Friday at noon with a chance to play themselves into the championship game at 3 p.m.. With a double elimination format, if it's the first loss for the losing team, a second game at 6 p.m. will be necessary to determine the regional champion.
