LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team celebrated home-opening weekend going undefeated with two victories against Bradley and Iowa State on the first day of the UNLV Desert Classic on Friday at Eller Media Stadium.
 
The Rebels (5-0) opened the day with a run-rule against Bradley (0-6), 9-1 in five innings and continued to stay hot and defeated Iowa State (3-3) 7-1. UNLV was 18-for-50 (.360) through two games at the plate, brought around a combined 16 RBI and three different Rebels went yard on home field.
 
GAME 1: UNLV 9, Bradley 1 (5 innings)
 
Both squads were scoreless for the first two innings until Bradley scored in the top of the third inning after taking advantage of an error. The Rebels were held scoreless in the bottom of the third. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Janyssa Martin led off with a solo blast over the left field wall to tie the game 1-all. UNLV then had bases loaded with no outs and Kelsie Kelso sent one back up the middle to bring around two more runs for the Rebels to take the lead 3-1. Maddie Schmidt then blooped a single to left to bring in another run to make it 4-1. The Braves made a pitching change and walked the first Rebels' batter she faced to have another run come across the plate, 5-1. Ariana Martinez then drew a walk on a full-count with the bases loaded and made it 6-1. In the bottom of the fifth, the Rebels were focused at the plate and Jesse Farrell hit an infield single to give UNLV the first runner of the inning. With no outs, the Rebels then had runners on the corners and Schmidt doubled down the left field line to bring Farrell home. Again, the Rebels had runners on the corners and Martinez roped a double of her own down the left field line to bring the run-rule run across the plate.
 
GAME 2: UNLV 7, Iowa State 1
 
The bats continued in game two for the Rebels as UNLV scored three runs on five hits in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the second inning, Zellien led off with a double down the right field line. Schmidt did her job and put down a beauty of a sacrifice bunt to move Zellien to third. With one out, Martinez went yard over the right center fence to make it 5-0. The Rebels and Cyclones were scoreless for three innings. In the bottom of the sixth, Martin was walked on four straight balls. Alyssa Trejo then sent the first pitch she saw over the right field wall to make it 7-0 heading into the final inning. Iowa State led off the top of the seventh with a solo homer to left field, 7-1. With runners on first and second with no outs, the next ball was a ground ball to Schimdt that she turned to get the lead runner out at third. Zellien then popped up the next Cyclone batter and a line out to Martin in center closed out the game for the Rebels.
 
OTHER NOTES:

• The Rebels have gone back-to-back tournament weekends with two victories including a run-rule victory.
• Kelsie Kelso was 3-for-4 including three RBI and a run scored through two games.
• Janyssa Martin, Ariana Martinez and Alyssa Trejo each had a homer on the day.
• Jesse Farrell recorded her first pick off against Iowa State. Farrell also threw out a Braves' runner in game one.
• Ellie Zellien and Alanna Thiede each collected a win on the day. Both pitchers have a 2-0 record on the season.

 
UP NEXT: The Rebels will continue the UNLV Desert Classic on Friday, February 17 at 3 p.m. playing UC Santa Barbara for the first time this weekend and will close out day two with a game against Bradley at 6 p.m. The UNLV Desert Classic's day two will be streamed on Youtube.