CEDAR CITY, Utah (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team defeated Southern Utah 13-4 in a midweek contest at Kathryn Berg Field.
 
The Rebels (11-8) scored two or more runs in four of the seven innings played and held the Thunderbirds (10-10) to only a run in two of the three innings they scored in.

WINNER WINNER IN CEDAR CITY! pic.twitter.com/BotvmIMR9r
— UNLV Softball (@UNLVSoftball) March 5, 2024
 

HOW IT WENT DOWN: Right from the get go, the Rebels had the bats going. Jesse Farrell led off the top of the first with a single up the middle. Maddie Schmidt then laid down a sac bunt down the first base line to move Farrell to second. Alyssa Trejo stepped up to the plate and ripped one down the left field line to bring Farrell home and give the Rebels a 1-0 lead. After Janyssa Martin reached on a fielder's choice, Kelsie Kelso hit a single to right which gave UNLV runners on the corners. On a 1-0 count, Sofia Morales poked one down the left field line to score Martin and make it 2-0 in favor of UNLV. The second inning was scoreless for both sides and the Rebels got things going again in the top of the third.
 
In the top of the third, Maddie Schmidt sent one right back up the middle. After one out, Janyssa Martin was hit by a pitch and UNLV then had runners on first and second. Kelso then hit an RBI single to left center to make it 3-0. Sofia Morales smacked a sac fly to left field to score Martin and make it 4-0. In the bottom of the third, Southern Utah then scored on an RBI double, 4-1. The Rebels broke it open even more in the top of the fourth inning scoring four runs on five hits and took an 8-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Southern Utah scored on an RBI double to cut UNLV's lead to six, 8-2. The Rebels stranded a runner in the top of the six and were blanked on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the sixth, the Thunderbirds cut the Rebels' lead in half, scoring two runs on two hits, 8-4. The Rebels came back to the plate in the top of the seventh inning and tallied five more runs to their lead on four hits, including an Alyssa Trejo bases clearing double. In the bottom of the final inning, the Rebels defense went three up, three down on two ground balls and a fly out to secure the victory.
 
OTHER NOTES:

• Kelsie Kelso was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate including a walk and two RBI. Kelso's four hits mark a new career-high.
• Alyssa Trejo was 3-for-5 on the day including five RBI, of which three came in the top of the seventh inning. Trejo's three hits tied her career-high and her five RBI were one-shy of tying her career-high of six.
• Janyssa Martin was 2-for-4 with three RBI and crossed the plate a career-high four times. Martin was also hit by a pitch and went hit her third homer of the season.
• Sofia Morales tied her career-high in RBI with two. Jesse Farrell tied her career-high in runs scored, crossing the plate twice and Bri Williams also tied her career-high in runs scored with one run.

 
UP NEXT: The Rebels will travel to the East Coast to play in the Norfolk State Invitational hosted by Norfolk State beginning on Friday, March 8 and concluding on Sunday, March 10. UNLV will first play Youngstown University on Friday, March 8 at 11 a.m. PT