LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team started Mountain West play on a high note last weekend, taking two of three from then-24th ranked Boise State at Eller Media Stadium for its second straight series win over the defending league champions. The Rebels' 8-1 victory in the series opener Friday night snapped a 17-game winning streak for the Broncos, while Sunday's 1-0 shutout win the rubber match handed BSU just their fourth loss of the season.
UNLV moved to 21-6 overall on the year, marking the third-best start through 27 games in program history and best start since the 1995 squad went 23-4.
The Scarlet and Gray's last four wins have come over two teams (Stanford and Boise State) that were ranked and/or receiving votes in one or more of the major Top-25 polls. For this, UNLV was rewarded with its first votes in the USA Today/NFCA DI Coaches Poll since 2009.
UNLV continues conference play on the road the next two weekends, beginning at Utah State, March 22-24. The Aggies enter the weekend at 9-13 overall and 1-2 in the Mountain West after dropping the series to UNR last weekend. While USU has had its struggles this year, the Aggies have had the Rebels' number as of late as they have won the last three straight series between the two squads. UNLV will be looking for its first series win over USU since 2015.
The Rebels' road trip continues the following weekend at San Diego State, March 29-31, where they will also look to avenge a series loss from a year ago. UNLV resturns home April 5-7 for a three-game tilt with Fresno State, who they swept in Fresno last spring.
QUICK HITTERS
• The 21-6 start is the third-best through 27 games in program history. The 1995 squad owns the best record at 24-3 and the 1991 team's 22-5 record is second best
• UNLV has three wins over ranked teams (in USAToday/NFCA and/or USA Softball Top 25 poll) this year marking the first time since 2005 the Rebels have beaten three ranked teams in the same season
• Rebels started MW play 2-1 for the second straight year under Fox
• Freshman
Jenny Bressler had another outstanding weekend, going 2-0 with two complete games, allowing one run on 11 hits in 14.0 innings pitched. Her one-run nine-hit outing in Friday's 8-1 victory in the season-opener snapped a 17-game win streak by No. 24 Boise State. She bested that by throwing a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 win Sunday in the series rubber match.
• For her performance she was named Mountain West Pitcher of the Week for the second consecutive week, becoming the first Rebel to win the award in back-to-back weeks since Amanda Oliveto in 2013
• UNLV has winning streaks of six games and two different four-game win streak this season, while its longest losing streak is only two.
• The offense has been consistent in 2019, hitting .330 (ranks 16th in the country) with 149 runs in 27 games, while UNLV has outscored its opponent 149-56 this season and have only been shut out three times
• UNLV has scored six or more runs in 15 of 27 games and are 15-0 in those games. The Rebels have been held to four hits or fewer just six times this year
• UNLV has also been patient at the plate, drawing 81 walks in 27 games (best in the MW), and have been lights out with runners in scoring position as they hit .3406 in those situations compared to .224 for their opponents. They are also hitting .339 with two outs
• Pinch-hitting has been successful for Fox and the Rebels this year as they are hitting .308 (12-for-39) in those situations. Senior KileyHarrison, who came up with the pinch-hit game-winning RBI single in the fifth inning against Boise State Sunday, is now 3-for-9 (.333) when pinch-hitting; freshman
Statia Cermak leads the way at 5-for-7 (.714)
•
Mia Trejo has a team-high 18 walks, 10 more than the next closest Rebel
• The defense has also been outstanding, committing just 11 errors in 27 games with a .984 fielding percentage, which currently ranks fourth in the country. For the season, the Rebels have committed more than one error in a game only twice.
• Outside of a shaky 11-2 loss to Boise State in game two Saturday, the pitching staff has been outstanding this year. The trio of Bressler,
Charlie Masterson and
Breana Burke have combined for a 2.16 ERA, which ranks second in the MW. Bressler, the 2018 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year, has had a stellar start to her career going 13-2 with a 1.62 ERA and a team-high 69 strikeouts
• Bressler has been on fire over the last two weekends in particular, going 5-0 with a 0.23 ERA, allowing just one run on 21 hits in 30.2 innings pitched with 19 strikeouts and six walks
• UNLV has allowed three runs or fewer in 13 of its last 14 games and one run or fewer in eight of its last nine games
• The Rebels success has come in part to their ability to strike early, with 88 of their 149 runs coming in the first four innings. Scoring first and leading early has also been key as they are 17-0 when they score first and 16-0 when leading after four innings
• UNLV went 20-for-20 on stolen base attempts to start the season and is currently 39-43 (steal and attempts both lead the MW), far surpassing their season total of 31 a year ago
•
Mia Trejo blasted a three-run home run in the third inning Friday vs BSU, giving the Rebels a 4-0 lead. It was her team-best fourth of the season and 15th overall of the year for UNLV. They now have 15 HRs through 27 games after hitting just 20 in 53 games last season
• The Rebels didn't have much success against BSU's Gianna Mancha, but senior
Myranda Bueno seemed to have her number. In two games, Bueno went 4-for-5, which included scoring the game-winning run Sunday
• Junior
Justine Federe owns the Rebels' longest hitting streak of the season at 15 games will
Lauren Tycksen is second with a nine gamer. Trejo and Harrison will both enter the weekend on a three-game streak
• Junior
Lauren Tycksen continues to be a consistent force at the plate. Her .460 average leads the team while her 40 hits rank tied for 12th in the NCAA
• The Rebels have eighth players hitting over .300 (Harrison, Bueno, Trejo, Bondi, Diaz, Federe, Cermak and Tycksen) including two over .400 (Cermak and Tycksen)
• Tycksen and fellow junior
Reina Bondi have been a lethal 1-2 punch at the top of lineup, combining to go 72-for-178 (.404) with 56 runs scored and 28 RBI. The two have also combined to go 28-for-30 on stolen bases, with Bondi's 14-for-14 a new career high
• Returners
Justine Federe,
Mia Trejo,
Myranda Bueno &
Samantha Diaz have also been productive at the plate, going 100-for-290 (.344) with 50 runs scored, 10 home runs and 71 RBI
• Tycksen leads the way with 13 multi-hit games this season, while Bondi is second with 10. Federe has a team-best six multi-RBI games, with Tycksen and Trejo behind her with five each
• Freshman
Statia Cermak has made the most of her opportunities at the plate this season as she is 14-for-33 (.424). She also ranks third in the MW in on-base percentage at .524
• Freshman
Jenny Bressler picked up first career Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honor on March 12 after going 3-0 at the Cardinal Classic, not allowing a run in 16.2 innings pitched with 16 strikeouts. That included a complete-game shutout win over Stanford, ending a 12-game winning streak by the Cardinal
• Junior transfer Tycksen, who was an NFCA Junior College All-American at Salt Lake City Community College last spring, earned her first Mountain West Player of the Week award on Feb. 12 after hitting .625 with 10 runs scored, two triples, five RBI and five stolen bases. She was also named College Sports Madness' Mountain West Player of the Week and was recognized as a Top Performer by the NFCA
RANKING THE REBELS
• Top 25 DI Polls: UNLV received 15 votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll Tuesday, marking the first time since April 1, 2009 they had received votes in that poll.
• NCAA: The Rebels rank fourth in fielding percetange (.984); 16th in the country in batting average (.330); tied for 24th in win-loss percentage (.778) and 38th in ERA (2.16). Junior
Lauren Tycksen is 27th in batting average (.460), 12th in hits (40) and 31st in runs per game (1.07). Junior
Justine Federe and sophomore
Mia Trejo are tied for 12th nationally in sacrific flies (3) Freshman
Jenny Bressler is sixth in wins (13) and 11th in shutouts (4).
• Mountain West: Rebels rank at the top or near the top in most major offensive, pitching and defensive statistical categories. They rank first in hits (227) and second in batting average (.330), on-base percentage (.399), runs (149), RBI (135) and third slugging percentage (.459). UNLV ranks second in ERA (2.16), innings pitched (175.0), and runs allowed (56). Defensively, UNLV's .984 fielding percentage ranks first in the conference. Tycksen ranks first in hits (40) and batting average (.460) and second in runs scored (29).
Reina Bondi ranks third in run scored (27) and first in at-bats (91). Freshman
Statia Cermak is third in batting average at .424 and in on-base percentage at .524. Bondi is tied for second with 14 stolen bases, while
Justine Federe is fourth in the MW with 24 RBI. Freshman
Jenny Bressler leads in innings pitched (90.2), strikeouts (69), batters struck out looking (23) and wins (13).
LIVE STATS/UPDATES
Live stats links and video links are available at
www.UNLVRebels.com. Live updates can also be found by following @UNLVSoftball on twitter.
