LOGAN, UT (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV softball team didn't let an unexpected layoff disrupt the momentum they captured through the first two weeks of Mountain West play as the Rebels secured a third straight series victory by sweeping Utah State Saturday in Logan. It took an extra inning for the Rebels to take game one 6-2, then UNLV scored six runs over the final four frames - all on home runs - for a 6-0 victory in game two.
With the wins, UNLV improves to 18-9 on the season and 10-1 in Mountain West play, heading into Sunday's finale in a tie for first with Fresno State.
Entering the matchup, Utah State (10-17, 2-6) has been a team that has given the Rebels trouble as of late as the Aggies had won eight of the last 11 meetings between the two squads. That didn't matter Saturday as UNLV guaranteed a series win over USU for the first time since 2015.
It only took two Rebel pitchers to get the job done as junior ace Jenny Bressler and senior Charlie Masterson allowed a combined two runs on nine hits in 15.0 innings pitched with each turning in a complete-game performance. Bressler was her usual stingy self, picking up her 10th win of the season after allowing two runs on five hits over eight innings in game one. She's won and gone the distance in all five of her conference starts in 2021. Masterston pitched her best game of the season, scattering just four hits over 7.0 innings in the shutout.
Both pitchers enjoyed some run support from their offense with 10 of UNLV's 12 runs coming via six home runs. After the Aggies tied game one up at two in the bottom of the seventh to force extras, seniors Justine Federe and Samantha Diaz each hit two-run homers in the top of the eighth. With game two scoreless into the fourth, senior Mia Trejo broke the stalemate with a two-run bomb of her own, which was followed by Diaz's second home run of the day - this one a solo shot. Junior Denise Armendariz launched her first homer of the season in the sixth, while Federe put a bow on the day with her second two-run homer in the top of the seventh. The four home runs were a game-high in 2021.
The long ball was a welcome sight for UNLV, who had seen a bit of a drought in that category after hitting 15 through the first 13 games. The Rebels then went 11 games without one, but have bounced back with eight over the last three contests.
Game 1 Recap: Despite Bressler cruising through the first couple of frames, Utah State took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the third on a pair of hits and a UNLV error. The Rebels responded right away in the top half of the fourth, with Armendariz leading off with a single and Trejo drawing a walk. Freshman Janyssa Martin brought home the tying run with a RBI double and Diaz plated the go-ahead score on a sacrifice fly. It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh, when Utah State led off with a solo home run off Bressler to tie it at two. UNLV didn't panic though as senior Lauren Tycksen led off the eighth with a single, setting up Federe's game-winning two-run shot. After a Trejo single, Diaz added an exclamation point on the victory with her own two-run dinger. Bressler easily got the final three outs in the bottom half for the frame for the win.
Game 2 Recap: Another close game carried into the fourth until Federe led off with a single and Trejo brought her home from second with a deep shot to center for the 2-0 lead. UNLV wasn't done yet though as Diaz left no doubt with her homer to right to make it 3-0 by inning's end. Armendariz, who leads the conference with 10 doubles but was still looking for her first home run, connected on a solo shot to lead off the sixth for the 4-0 lead, while Federe added her second two-run dinger of the day in the seventh for good measure and the 6-0 final margin. Masterson was brilliant as the Aggies managed just one inning with more than one baserunner and never got anyone past second.
UP NEXT: Rebels will be going for the series sweep of the Aggies Sunday. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. PT
