LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team clinched its second straight Mountain West series win Friday afternoon at Eller Media Stadium with an 8-0 run-rule shutout in six innings over New Mexico (12-40, 3-20). While Thursday's opener was a tight contest, the Rebels didn't let game two stay close as they used a pair of big innings on offense and stingy pitching to blank the Lobos.

With their third straight win, UNLV improves to 35-14 and 13-9 in conference play. After a stretch of three straight conference series losses, the Rebels have rebounded to win their final two league series and seven of the last eight games.

Freshman Jenny Bressler made a second straight start and struck out the first two batters in a scoreless first before being pulled for junior Charlie Masterson to begin the second. Masterson was stellar in relief, allowing just one hit in 5.0 innings with five strikeouts to pick up her sixth win of the season.

The UNLV offense spread the wealth around as seven different Rebels registered hits, which included multi-hit games from Reina Bondi, Lauren Tycksen and Justine Federe.

THE TURNING POINT: After two quick scoreless frames for both teams, it looked like it could be another low-scoring affair between the two squads. The Rebels quickly dispelled that notion in the third though, as Kiley Harrison started a string of five straight hits with her one-out single that scored three runs. Bondi brought home the first run on a double, then scored on Statia Cermak pinch-hit RBI single. The next run came in on a Federe single and Federe would come around to eventually score the fourth run on a passed ball to make it 4-0. The Rebels added three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to seal the victory.

STAT OF THE GAME: Bressler and Masterson allowed just three base runners in six innings.

REBEL OF THE GAME: Masterson, who had a bit of a rough outing in game two at UNR last weekend, rebounded with a strong relief appearance. She entered the game in the second inning and retired the first nine batters she faced. The junior allowed just two baserunners on a walk and one hit.
UP NEXT: The Rebels will be looking for their second Mountain West series sweep in 2019 on senior day Saturday at Eller Media Stadium. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.

REBEL NOTES: 
* The Rebels lead the all-time series 56-32 and will be going for a second straight series win over the Lobos on Friday
* Entering Friday's contest, the Rebels had dropped four straight game twos during league play, but were able to snap that with the win and finished 2-8 in the second game of league series in 2019
* Head coach Kristie Fox now has 68 wins over her first two seasons, just one shy of tying the program mark for most wins for a head coach in his/her first two years
* This was the eighth run-rule victory this year and 13th shutout
* The Rebels have been almost unstoppable when they score first as they are 29-3 when that happens
* The Rebels are 28-5 when they out-hit their opponents
* Justine Federe extended her hitting streak to seven games after going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored 
* Freshman Denise Armendariz has now started eight straight games at the designated player, and after a 1-for 3 night is now 11-for-24 (.458) with two home runs, three doubles, seven RBI and four runs scored over that stretch
* UNLV has held its opponents to three runs or fewer in 30 out of 49 games this year
* UNLV hasn't committed an error in five consecutive games and has just 29 in 49 games
* Rebels have outscored its opponents 255-131 in 2019