LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV softball team (7-3) pushed its win streak to six with victories over Utah Valley (9-2) and Weber State (7-2) on the third day of the Marucci Desert Classic Saturday. The Rebel offense came out firing in both games, scoring 11 of its 16 runs on the day in the first inning, while it has outscored opponents 33-4 in five games at the tournament.
This is the second six-game win streak the Rebels have enjoyed in three years under head coach Kristie Fox as UNLV began the 2019 season 6-0. If the Rebels can finish out the tournament Sunday with a win to extend the streak to seven it will mark the longest win streak since the 2009 team one 10 straight at one point during the season.
The long ball was popular for the Scarlet and Gray Saturday as they tallied four over the two games, including back-to-back-to-back jacks from senior Justine Federe, freshman Caitlin Covington and junior Samantha Diaz in a four-run first inning against UVU. Sophomore Julia Vollmer got in on the home run action in game two with her three-run blast capping a seven-run first inning against the Wildcats. All four home runs came with two outs.
While the 19-inning scoreless streak came to an end in the opening frame of the day, the pitching trio of Jenny Bressler, Breana Burke and Charlie Masterson continued to impress early in the season. Starters Bressler and Masterson allowed two runs apiece - Masterson's first earned runs of the year - before both gave way to Burke, who polished off both wins 6.0 scoreless innings in relief.
With Saturday's performances in the circle, the pitching staff now owns a staggering 1.17 ERA through 10 games in 2020.
Game 1 Recap (UNLV vs. Utah Valley): The Rebels faced their first deficit of the weekend after Bressler allowed a first-inning run, but that didn't phase a UNLV offense that seems to be finding its groove early in the year. After freshman Maddie Schmidt led off the game with a walk, Federe launched a two-run shot to quickly erase the one-run hole. That was followed by freshman Caitlin Covington's first career collegiate home run and junior Samantha Diaz put a bow on the sequence with her third home run of the season. UNLV added one run in the second to make it 5-1 and UVU closed the gap to 5-2 with a run in the third but the Wolverines never got closer. The Rebels tallied four more runs late in the sixth to put the game completely out of reach.
Game 2 Recap (UNLV vs. Weber State): UNLV wasted no time showcasing their offense against the Wildcats, batting around and collecting seven runs in the opening frame. Schmidt, who has a team-best .458 batting average, again provided a spark plug at the top of the lineup when she led off the game with a single. After a Lauren Tycksen single and a pair of stolen bases, Schmidt and Tycksen found themselves at third and second, respectively, and both made it across home plate on a Mia Trejo two-run single. Federe tallied her first hit of the game to put two on and sophomore Lauryn Barker brought both Trejo and Federe home with an infield single to make it 4-0. Junior Jaclyn Candelas then knocked another single to put two runners on and Julia Vollmer launched the ball over the wall in center to bring all three runs home for a 7-0 lead. The Wildcats scored one in the third and one in the fifth to spoil the shutout.
UP NEXT: The Marucci Desert Classic wraps up Sunday with a pair of games in the morning. Weber State and Utah Valley will play the 9 a.m. game followed by a rematch between Utah Valley and UNLV in the final game of the tournament.
