LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team will head into the final weekend of the regular season with some momentum after capturing its second straight Silver State Series win over the Wolf Pack in Reno last weekend. Sunday's rubber match victory also clinched a UNLV Athletics victory in the annual all-sports competition presented by IBEW and Nevada Donor Network, marking the sixth win in the seven year history of the trophy.
The Rebels now turn their attention to hosting New Mexico Thursday, May 9 through Saturday, May 11 on senior weekend at Eller Media Stadium. Series first pitch is set for Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. game two start on Friday and a noon contest Saturday for the finale. UNLV's three seniors -
Abby Howard,
Kiley Harrison and
Myranda Bueno - will be honored in a senior ceremony following Saturday's game.
The series victory in Reno was also an important confidence boost for the Scarlet and Gray as it snapped a streak of three consecutive Mountain West series losses. UNLV will enter the matchup with the Lobos having won five of its last six games after sweeping Cal Baptist on its conference bye week and taking two of three from the Wolf Pack in Reno.
UNLV will have a chance to finish out the regular season on a hot streak as New Mexico comes to town with a 12-38 overall record and just a 3-18 mark in league play.
Over the weekend, Colorado State clinched the 2019 Mountain West Championship, giving the Rams the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels currently sit in fourth place in the standings and can finish as high as third if they can complete the sweep over the Lobos. With an RPI of 43, UNLV will be on the bubble in discussions for an at-large bid to the tournament. If they are not selected, the Rebels will have the opportunity to compete in the National Invitational Softball Championship (NICS) postseason tournament for the second straight year.
QUICK HITTERS
• UNLV has now reached the 30-win plateau in each of the first two seasons under head coach
Kristie Fox, marking the first back-to-back 30-win seasons since 2009 & 2010. This is the 15th 30-win season in the program's 35-year history
• The Rebels matched their win total of 33 from a year ago with three regular season games left to play
• With Sunday's win at UNR, head coach
Kristie Fox now has 200 career head coaching wins with 66 coming in two years at UNLV
• UNLV finished its non-conference slate a 22-5 record - the best out of conference record in program history
• The 27-11 record through 38 games was the third-best start in program history and best since the 1995 squad went 29-9. The 1991 team went 30-8
• UNLV has three wins over ranked teams at the time the Rebels played them (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; Stanford was receiving votes in the two major polls when UNLV beat them twice and they have one win over a Colorado State team that was receiving votes in both polls and has been ranked in the NFCA poll
• The Rebels' wins over Stanford marked the first time since 1995 UNLV had beat the same Pac-12 twice in the same season
• The sweep over SDSU, March 29-31, was the first three-game sweep over the Aztecs in program history and first series win in San Diego since 2005. Ninth series win over the Aztecs overall and just fourth time they've gone unbeaten in the regular season against SDSU [1986 (4-0), 1994 (2-0) and 2005 (4-0)]
• UNLV is 1-1 in extra inning games in 2019 after dropping a 5-3 contest in 12 innings to San Jose State in game two on Friday, April 19; UNLV's 17-inning showdown at SDSU on Sunday, March 31 was the longest game in the country this year (innings-wise) and was the third-longest game in program history program behind an 18-inning 2-1 loss to #14 Long Beach State on April 13, 1991 and a 20-inning 1-0 loss at Fresno State on April 24, 1987
• The series win over UNR was the second consecutive and first back-to-back series wins over the Wolf Pack since UNLV won three straight from 2013-15
• UNLV has winning streaks of six games and three different four-game win streaks this season, while its longest losing streak of two has happened four times this year.
• During conference play, UNLV is 7-0 in series openers, but haven't fared as well in game twos as they are 1-6
• The offense has been strong in 2019, hitting .315 (ranks tied for 20th in the country) with 245 runs in 47 games, while UNLV has outscored its opponent 245-130 this season and have only been shut out five times
• UNLV has scored six or more runs in 23 of 47 games and are 23-0 in those games. The Rebels have been held to four hits or fewer just eight times this year
• UNLV has also been patient at the plate, drawing 140 walks in 47 games, and for the most part have been lights out with runners in scoring position as they hit .321 in those situations compared to .224 for their opponents
• Scoring first and early has been key in 2019 as the Rebels are 27-3 when they score first and 25-2 when they lead after four innings; On the flip side, when the opponents score first they are 6-11
• Five of UNLV's six MW series have come down to the rubber match game, with a fifth almost being decided on the third game before the finale at Utah State got canceled. The Rebels have lost two of those series in the seventh inning of game three, allowing a go-ahead home run in the seventh by Fresno State and four runs in the final frame to San Jose State - both at home. The three-run lead against SJSU was the largest blown lead for UNLV in 2019
• Pinch-hitting has been successful for Fox and the Rebels this year as they are hitting .329 (24-for-73) in those situations. Freshman
Statia Cermak has been deadly in the role as she is 8-for-15 (.533)
• The defense has also been outstanding, committing just 29 errors in 47 games, including none in Reno, with a .979 fielding percentage, which currently ranks sixth in the country. The Rebels have committed more than one error in a game only four times this year and are 19-6 when they don't commit an error
• Outside of a few hiccups during conference play, the pitching staff has been outstanding this year. The trio of
Jenny Bressler,
Charlie Masterson and
Breana Burke have combined for a 2.52 ERA, which is second in the MW. They have 12 shutouts in 2019
• Bressler picked up her 21st win of the season Sunday in the rubber match in Reno. She allowed two runs on six hits - the two runs coming on a sixth-inning two run home run - with six strikeouts. That included striking out the final batter in each of the first four innings. The 2018 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year picked has had an impressive first collegaite campaign as she is now 21-5 with a 2.22 ERA and 137 strikeouts (leads the MW)
• Burke, a junior, is also having a career year as she is 7-6 with an ERA 2.00, which is second in the MW. Burke has been unable to play the last two weekends due to an undisclosed issue, and it remains to be seem if she will be available against New Mexico
• UNLV has allowed three runs or fewer in 28 of 47 games this year
• UNLV went 20-for-20 on stolen base attempts to start the season and is currently 55-61, almost doubling their season total of 31 a year ago and marking the most since swiping 68 in 2016. Juniors
Lauren Tycksen and
Reina Bondi have combined for 41 of the 45 stolen bases in 2019
• The Rebels launched four home runs against the Wolf Pack last weekend, giving them 34 in 47 games after hitting just 20 total in all of 2018. Senior
Myranda Bueno hit her second of the year and third of her career in the series opener,
Samantha Diaz hit what proved to be the game-winner in the fourth inning of Sunday's 3-2 victory and freshman
Denise Armendariz hit one in the opener and a two-run shot in the first inning Sunday to put the Rebels up early
• After playing sporadically througout the season at dp and as a pinch hitter, Armendariz has started the last six straights games at DP, where UNLV has gone 5-1. In that span she's gone 9-for-18 (.500) with two home runs (both last weekend), three doubles, six RBI and four runs scored over that stretch
• Sophomore
Mia Trejo has had another stellar season, especially during Mountain West play, as she's hitting .371 with 23 RBI, two doubles, a triple, five home runs, 13 runs scored and 15 walks. For the season, she's drawn a team-high 32 walks, 14 more than the next closest Rebel. She has been intentionally walked three times, while she has a home run in five of seven Mountain West series this year. Her eight total home runs are a new career high for the sophomore
• Federe owns the Rebels' longest hitting streak of the season at 15 games while Trejo, Harrison and junior
Lauren Tycksen each have a nine-gamer under their belts. Federe enters the final weekend with a five game hitting streak
• In her first season, Tycksen continues to be a consistent force at the plate. Her .399 (min. 50 at-bats) average and 63 hits lead the team
• The Rebels have nine players hitting over .300 (Armendariz, Harrison, Bueno, Diaz, Trejo, Bondi, Federe, Cermak and Tycksen)
• Tycksen and fellow junior
Reina Bondi have been a lethal 1-2 punch at the top of lineup, combining to go 107-for-292 (.366) with 82 runs scored and 44 RBI. Tycksen went 1-1 on stolen bases over the weekend to give her a team-best 23 this year, while the two have also combined to go 41-for-45 on stolen bases
• Returners
Justine Federe,
Mia Trejo,
Myranda Bueno &
Samantha Diaz have also been productive at the plate, going 190-for-559 (.340) with 97 runs scored, 23 home runs and 124 RBI
• Tycksen leads the way with 22 multi-hit games this season, while Federe is second with 15. Trejo has a team-best 11 multi-RBI games
• Freshman have contributed in a big way in 2019 with six freshman combining to make 140 starts in 2019
• Trejo earned her first career Mountain West Player of the Week award on April 2 after hitting .400 with five RBI, a three-run home run, four runs scored and five walks
• Bressler earned back-to-back Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honors on March 12 & March 19, becoming the first Rebel to win the award in back-to-back weeks since Amanda Oliveto in 2013
• 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:
- On May 7, the Rebels received votes in both major polls in the same week for the second time this season, garnering four in the USA Today/NFCA & three in the ESPN/USA Softball poll
- On April 23 & April 30, the Rebels received one vote in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll
- On April 2, the Rebels received a vote in the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll for the second straight week and returned to the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll after receiving a vote in that one as well.
- On. March 19, 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
• RPI: UNLV debuted in the season's first RPI at No. 36 on Monday, March 18. This week, they currently sit at No. 43
• NCAA: The Rebels rank sixth in fielding percentage (.979); tied for 20th in the country in batting average (.315); eighth in double plays per game (0.53), tied for 35th in win-loss percentage (.702) and 44th in ERA (2.52). Sophomore
Mia Trejo is tied for 49th in walks per game (0.68); junior
Lauren Tycksen is tied for 48th in stolen baseas per game (.049); junior
Justine Federe is tied for 36th in sacrifice flies (4); and freshman
Jenny Bressler is tied for 24th in wins (21).
• Mountain West: Rebels rank at the top or near the top in most major offensive, pitching and defensive statistical categories. They rank third in hits (407), batting average (.315) and RBI (226); and fourth in on-base percentage (.384), runs (245) and slugging percentage (.459). UNLV ranks second in ERA (2.52) and first in runs allowed (130) and walks allowed (98). The Rebels rank third in batters struck out (235), second in batters struck out looking (77) and fourth in opposing batting average (.263). Defensively, UNLV's .979 fielding percentage and 29 errors each rank first in the conference.
Lauren Tycksen ranks third in hits (63), batting average (.399), runs scored (44) and in stolen bases (23).
Mia Trejo is tied for sixth in RBI (41) and home runs (8). Freshman
Jenny Bressler is fourth in the MW in ERA at 2.21 and junior
Breana Burke is second at 2.00, while Bressler leads in innings pitched (170.2), strikeouts (137), batters struck out looking (51) and wins (21).
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.
