LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV softball's four-game winning streak came to an end Saturday with a 4-0 loss to Fresno State (23-12, 2-6) in game two at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels were shut out for just the fourth time this year and limited to under four hits for just the third time.
The loss drops UNLV to 26-8 and 7-3 in Mountain West play, still the third-best record through 34 games in program history. The program-long four-game win streak against the Bulldogs dating back to last year also came to an end.
Junior
Breana Burke made her eighth start in the circle for UNLV and suffered her third loss after allowing four runs on nine hits. Fresno State's three first-inning runs ended a brilliant streak of 18.1 innings without allowing an earned run.
The Rebel offense drew seven walks, but tallied just three hits - two by junior
Lauren Tycksen - as it was unable to deliver with hits when runners were in scoring position. A day after lighting up the Fresno State pitchers with a 6-for-6 combined night,
Justine Federe and
Mia Trejo went 0-for-5 with three walks, which ended a nine-game hitting streak by Trejo.
THE TURNING POINT: Fresno State turned the first-inning tables on the Rebels in game two as the Bulldogs scored three runs with two outs in the inning - just like UNLV had Friday night in game one. FS led off the inning with a single, but after two quick outs it looked like Burke would get out of it unscathed. The Bulldogs then got three straight hits to bring home three runs for the early lead. UNLV would put runners on in each of the next five innings, including loading the bases in the first and the third, but couldn't come up with the timely hit to bring anyone across the plate. FS added one run in the seventh, while double play in the bottom half of the inning ended any Rebel comeback attempt.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Rebels left 11 runners stranded - the most in a seven-inning game this season.
REBEL OF THE GAME: Despite getting tagged with the loss,
Breana Burke rebounded well from a shaky first inning to hold the Bulldogs scoreless over the next five innings to keep the Rebels within striking distance. It was her fifth complete game of the year. She's now 6-3 with a 1.77 ERA.
UP NEXT: The series will be up for grabs Sunday Sunday with a 12 p.m. first pitch at Eller Media Stadium
REBEL NOTES:
* UNLV is now 19-56 against Fresno State all time
* The 26-8 record through 34 games is behind only the 1991 and 1995 squads, who went 27-7 through the first 34 games
* UNLV is now just 4-7 when the opponent scores first
* UNLV needs seven wins to match last year's total of 33 with 16 games still left to play, while head coach
Kristie Fox needs just seven wins to reach 200 total in her head coaching career
* 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 Saturday at catcher and extended her hitting streak to nine games. She's now 12-for-23 (.522) with two doubles, one triple, three RBI and three runs scored against Mountain West competition
* UNLV committed just its 22nd error of the season and is now 7-4 when committing one error in a game
* Despite getting shutout, Rebels continue to outscore its opponents 187-73