LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team kept the good times rolling Friday night at Eller Media Stadium as the Rebels blew out Fresno State 7-0 in the series opener for their fourth straight win. UNLV took control early with a three-run first and never looked back, while freshman righty
Jenny Bressler was her usual stingy self in the circle in the complete-game shutout.
The Rebels improved to 26-7 overall and 7-2 in Mountain West play, matching the second-best start through 33 games in program history. The 1995 squad also went 26-7 with the 1991 team owning the best record at 27-6. The victory was also the fourth straight against Fresno State (22-12, 1-6) dating back to last season, which is the most consecutive wins over the Bulldogs in program history.
Bressler tallied her 16th win of the season with the scoreless six-hit, complete-game performance, highlighted by seven strikeouts from the Canton, Michigan, native and some stellar defense behind her. Fresno State had runners on with one out in both the first and second and each inning ended in double plays, capped by a diving catch by sophomore shortstop and a flip to second for the final out of the inning. The Bulldogs wouldn't really threaten again until the sixth, when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Diaz was there again to scoop up the grounder to preserve the shutout.
Offensively, junior
Justine Federe and sophomore
Mia Trejo stole the show as the pair combined to go 6-for-6 with two home runs, four RBI and five runs scored with both falling a triple short of hitting for the cycle. UNLV has now recorded six or more runs in 18 of 33 games this season and are 18-0 in those contests.
THE TURNING POINT: Fresno starter Hailey Dolcini, who had given up just two runs in her previous 16 innings, looked like she was cruising to an easy 1-2-3 first inning after quickly setting down
Reina Bondi and
Lauren Tycksen, but Federe and Trejo had other plans. On a 3-2 count, Federe sent a shot over the centerfield wall - her fourth this year - for the 1-0 lead, but UNLV wasn't done yet. Trejo was up next and sent another ball over the fence in almost the exact same spot for back-to-back jacks and a 2-0 lead.
Kiley Harrison then reached third on an error in center and Diaz brought her home with an RBI single to finish off a three-run first. UNLV added a run in the third, two in the fifth and one in the sixth and Fresno State never put the game in question.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Rebels' three home runs matched a single-game high in 2019, while it gave UNLV 24 on the season after hitting just 20 total in 52 games last year. Freshman
Denise Armendariz, who hit the third solo shot of the game in the sixth inning, has now hit home runs in her last two pinch-hit appearances. Trejo leads all Rebels with seven.
CO-REBELS OF THE GAME: Hard to choose with three outstanding performances from Bressler, Federe and Trejo. It was a great bounce back game for Bressler, who had allowed four runs in each of her last two starts, as she limited a potent Fresno State offense to just six hits. She now has nine complete games in 19 starts this year and has allowed two runs or fewer in 14 of those 19 starts. Federe and Trejo, who hit three-four in the lineup, almost single-handedly lifted the Rebels to victory with the 6-for-6 night as the rest of the team went 4-for-22. Trejo's tear through conference play continued as she now has home runs in all four Mountain West series and extended her hitting streak to nine games. In nine league games, she's hitting .556 with 18 RBI, nine run scored, two doubles and the four home runs. She's also reached base safely in 12 straight contests.
UP NEXT: The Rebels will be going for the series win Saturday at 4 p.m. at Eller Media Stadium. If they come away with the game two victory, it will mark the second straight victory over the Bulldogs.
REBEL NOTES:
* UNLV is now 19-55 against Fresno State all time
* The four-game win streak is tied for second-longest of the season - the longest in 2019 is six games
* This was the fifth shutout for Bressler and the 10th overall for UNLV this year. Bressler dropped her ERA down to 1.58
* The Rebels are now 22-1 when scoring first in the game
* UNLV needs just seven wins to match last year's total of 33 with 17 games still left to play, while head coach
Kristie Fox needs just seven wins to reach 200 total in her head coaching career
*
Myranda Bueno's six-game hitting streak came to an end Friday night
* Harrison, while she isn't an everyday starter, has taken advantage of her opportunities at the plate, particularly during MW games. She got the start Friday as the designated player and extended her hitting streak to eight games. She's now 11-for-20 (.550) with two doubles, one triple, three RBI and three runs scored against Mountain West competition
* Pinch-hitting continues to be a superb strategy for the Rebels. With Armendariz's pinch-hit homer in the sixth, UNLV now has three home runs in pinch-hit at-bats over the last two contests. For the season they are hitting .353 in those situations
* The Rebels have recorded double digit hits in 18 of 33 games
* The Rebels pitching staff has an ERA of 1.88 (leads the MW) and has allowed three runs or fewer in 25 of 33 games
* Rebels continue to outscore its opponents 187-69
