STANFORD, CA (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team began the weekend at the Stanford Invitational by splitting day one Friday after a 7-0 win over Bucknell and a 1-0 shutout loss to University of Massachusetts-Lowell at the Cardinal's Boyd and Jill Smith Field. It was a tale of two games as the Rebels ran away from the Bison thanks to a five-run sixth inning, but couldn't find that same offensive magic in the narrow defeat to the River Hawks.
With the results, the Rebels moved to 16-5 on the season, which matches the third-best start through 21 games in program history.
While the games had opposite outcomes, there were some similarities between the two as both sat at 1-0 through five full innings. The difference was UNLV was in the lead against Bucknell and scored six runs over the final two frames to put the game away, but against UMass-Lowell the Rebels trailed after the first inning and couldn't find the timely hit to even the game.
The Rebel pitching staff was again fantastic, limiting its opponents to one run on six hits in 13 innings, which included its second straight and fifth shutout of the year in the win over the Bison. The trio of
Jenny Bressler,
Breana Burke and
Charlie Masterson have now held their opponents to three runs or fewer for the eighth straight game and for the 16th time in 21 games this season. Over that eight game stretch, the three have recorded an ERA of 1.26 while allowing just nine runs in 50.0 innings pitched.
GAME 1: UNLV 7 Bucknell 0
THE TURNING POINT: The Rebels blew a 1-0 game wide open in the top of the sixth inning. Freshman
Denise Armendariz, pinch hitting for fellow freshman
Statia Cermak, led off the inning with a single up the middle and was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice by
Samantha Diaz.
Paxton Scheurer, who was also pinch hitting for her fellow classmate
Julia Vollmer, roped the ball to left field for a single. The left fielder misplayed the ball and while it rolled to the wall, Diaz scored from first and Scheurer advanced all the way to third. The next batter, senior
Myranda Bueno, then brought Scheurer home with a RBI double down the right field line. After
Lauryn Barker walked to put two on, the speedy
Reina Bondi sent a laser that missed the outstretched glove of the center fielder and continued to the wall, allowing Bondi to whip around the bases all the way home to beat the throw for the three-run inside the park home run - the second for UNLV this year. The Rebels plated five runs total in the inning and never looked back.
STAT OF THE GAME: UNLV has scored six or more runs in 13 of 21 games this year, while the five-inning fifth matched a season high for single-inning scoring.
REBEL OF THE GAME: Bressler was brilliant again, going 5.0 scoreless innings allowing just three hits with five strikeouts to move to 10-2 on the year. She has not allowed a run over her last 10.0 innings pitched, while her season numbers improved to a 2.09 ERA with just 20 runs allowed in 68.0 innings pitched and a team-high 59 strikeouts.
GAME 2: UMass-Lowell 1 UNLV 0
THE TURNING POINT: The River Hawks led the game off with a single and put two on after drawing a walk. With one out, UMass-Lowell's Maria Moccio sent a single through the right side that allowed the runner to score from second for the lone run of the game. The Rebels scattered four hits over seven innings, but couldn't string anything together. Their best chance came in the seventh when
Samantha Diaz reached on an error to lead off the inning. After a
Kiley Harrison fielder's choice and a
Myranda Bueno groundout to advance her to second,
Lauryn Barker sent a fly ball to the gap in right center that looked like it was going to drop to score Harrison, but the center fielder made a spectacular diving catch to preserve the win for the River Hawks.
STAT OF THE GAME: It was just the third time the Rebels had been shut out all season, while three of their five losses have been one-run affairs.
REBEL OF THE GAME: Despite getting tagged with her first loss of the season, Masterson had a strong outing. After allowing two of the River Hawks' three hits in the first inning, UMass-Lowell managed just one hit after that. She gave up just the one run on three hits with three strikeouts.
UP NEXT: The Rebels' weekend continues Saturday with a second matchup against Bucknell at 10 a.m. followed by a 2:30 p.m. contest against tournament-host Stanford at 2:30 p.m.
REBEL NOTES:
* Junior
Justine Federe extended her team-high hitting streak to 14 games with a 1-for-4 mark against Bucknell and a 1-for-3 day against the River Hawks
* Junior
Lauren Tycksen's nine game-hitting streak came to an end against Bucknell with an 0-4 game, marking just the third time all year she'd been held without a hit. Against UMass-Lowell she went 1-for-3 and still leads the team with a .486 batting average for the season
* Junior
Reina Bondi had a productive day at the plate going 3-for-4 with three RBI and the inside the park HR against Bucknell, followed by a 1-for-3 night against the River Hawks
* Diaz turned three double plays between the two games
*
Breana Burke entered the game in relief against the Bison and pitched 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings for UNLV. As a staff, the Rebels' ERA dropped to 2.11 on the season
* UNLV in now 38-42 for stolen bases on the season after swiping just 31 all of last season. Bondi went 1-for-1 on the day to move her season total to 13-for-13, a new career high
* Both Bucknell and UMass-Lowell swiped a base against the Rebels, just the sixth and seventh stolen bases allowed by UNLV this year
* Despite the loss, UNLV is outscoring its opponents 126-43
* It was a bit of an off day for the Rebel defense as they were tagged with four errors over the two games (although one was a catcher's interference call). Prior to Friday, the Rebels had committed just six errors through 19 games and now have 10 on the year. It was also the first time this season they've committed more than one in a game
* UNLV's largest margin of defeat this year was a 5-0 loss to Maryland - the other four have been two runs or less, with three being by one run
* The 11 hits against the Bison marked the 12th time this year the Rebels have managed double digit hits. The Rebel offense has only been held to four hits or fewer three out of 21 games
