LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) — The first-ever night game at Ram Field was scheduled to be played Saturday, April 1. Instead, UNLV and Colorado State flipped the lights on early during a four-hour softball slugfest Friday in Fort Collins, Colorado.

UNLV (16-16 overall, 2-5 Mountain West) outlasted Colorado State (17-10, 3-3) 13-12 after nine innings at a blustery Ram Field. Weather advisories were in effect as 35 to 40 mph sustained winds with 60 mph gusts swept through the area.

Janyssa Martin homered to lead off the ninth inning and count the game-winning run after the Rebels pulled away twice only for the Rams to crawl back.

Ellie Zellien bookended the defense in the circle. Zellien was relieved with a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning before returning to close the final three, essentially earning the win after blowing her own save. 

UNLV hit for the cycle as a team to pull away in the sixth. Maddie Schmidt roped a single past first base for two RBIs, April Visser followed with an RBI triple, Ariana Martinez slugged an RBI double and Lauryn Barker walked before Denise Armendariz cleared the bases.

Armendariz was 2-for-5 with four RBIs. April Visser hit 2-for-4 with two RBIs and scored four runs.

The Rebels needed every hit as every Rams' fly ball left the park. Ashley York smacked a grand slam that was followed by a solo shot from Hailey Smith as Colorado State reduced the deficit to 3.

The Rams opened the bottom of the seventh with three straight hits. A fielder's choice and sacrifice fly scored the game-tying runs to force extra innings.

UNLV and Colorado State return to the field Saturday at 5 p.m. PT for the first "official" night game at Ram Field.