LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV softball team went 1-1 Saturday on the second day of the Rebel Kickoff with a 10-1, five-inning victory over Cal State Northridge and a 3-1 loss to Oregon State at Eller Media Stadium.
The Scarlet & Gray (1-3) were led by multiple-hit efforts from a quartet of Rebels with
Caitlin Covington pacing the squad with four hits to go along with two runs and one RBI.
Samantha Diaz,
Justine Federe and
Jaclyn Candelas had two hits apiece and combined for six RBI and four runs.
Lauren Tycksen recorded a pair of runs and an RBI.
The Rebel pitching staff combined to throw 12.0 innings and allowed four runs off of 11 hits, with nine strikeouts against three walks.
Breana Burke (1-0) got the win over CSUN in 5.0 innings of work, striking out three and only giving up one run off of three hits and one walk.
Jenny Bressler (0-2) was on the hook for the loss against OSU, going 5.0 innings with four strikeouts; however, she allowed two runs off of five hits.
GAME ONE RECAP: UNLV avenged Friday's one-run loss to the Matadors, with its 10-run outburst Saturday. The Rebels struck for at least two runs in each of the first four frames of play, beginning with an insurmountable three-run first inning. The Matadors were able to get one run back in the top of the second, but the Rebels countered with two more of its own in the frame, and then kept the scoring going with two more tallies in the second and three more in the fourth.
Diaz was instrumental in helping the Rebels pull away, starting with a two-run single in the second and then smashing a solo home run in the fourth. Federe also cleared the fences with a solo shot in the third.
GAME TWO RECAP: For the second time in as many days, the Rebels and Beavers waited to provide any scoring until the waning moments of the contest. The game was scoreless through four until OSU pushed across two runs off single by Izzy Owen. UNLV answered back with a run of its own off an RBI single by Tycksen to cut the deficit in half. After a scoreless sixth, the Beavers added an insurance run in the seventh off an RBI single by Xiao Gin.
IN OTHER ACTION: In the two neutral games at the Rebel Kickoff, Southern Utah went 1-1 Saturday with a 2-1 victory over Oregon State and a 11-1, five-inning loss to CSUN.
UP NEXT: The Rebels and SUU close out the third and final day of the tournament with an 11:00 am affair at Eller Media Stadium. UNLV's game will follow a tilt between CSUN and OSU at 9:00 am.
