NORFOLK, Va. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team earned two wins on day one of the Norfolk State Invitational on Friday at the NSU Softball Field. The Rebels (13-8) run-ruled Youngstown State (10-7) 9-0 in six innings and defeated the host Spartans (1-18) 7-4.
 
UNLV's bats came alive early in both games as the Rebels plated a combined 13/14 runs in the first two innings of both games. The Rebels tallied six runs in the top of the first against the Penguins and brought across seven/eight runs in the top of the second against the Spartans. Alanna Thiede earned her ninth win of the season as she collected the win against Youngstown State and Rylei Trujillo notched her first career win against Norfolk State in relief.
 
GAME 1: UNLV 9, Youngstown State 0 (six innings)
 
Maddie Schmidt roped a double to left field in the top of the first inning with one out. Ariana Martinez then sent one back up the middle to bring Schmidt across home plate to go up 1-0. Janyssa Martin followed with a single up the middle of her own to give UNLV runners on the corners. On a 3-1 count, Alyssa Trejo then smacked a three-run homer straight over center to put the Scarlet & Gray up 4-0. Kelsie Kelso then earned a walk before the Penguins came out to the mound to make an early pitching change. Following the change, a ground ball to second was able to move Kelso into scoring position. Kelso had a heads up on the base path as she then ran to third on a passed ball. Marisa Bowman doubled to right center, bringing in another run to give the Rebels a 5-0 lead. Skyler Shaw kept it going with a single to right center that brought Bowman in to give UNLV a 6-0 lead heading to the bottom of the frame. The Rebels went three up, three down against the Penguins in the bottom of the first. The next five innings were scoreless on both sides until UNLV came back to the plate in the top of the sixth.
 
In the top sixth inning with one out, Jesse Farrell got the bats going again with a single to left. Maddie Schmidt followed up with a single to left center. On a Youngstown State passed ball, Farrell and Schmidt advanced into scoring position on second and third. Martinez then smacked a triple to center scoring two more runs for the Rebels, 8-0. On a ground ball to third, the Rebels speed was the difference as the ninth run came across to make it 9-0. In the bottom of the sixth, the Penguins tried to get something going with runners on first and second, but the Rebels got a ground ball to Thiede in the circle for the final out.
 
GAME 2: UNLV 7, Norfolk State 4
The bats stayed hot for the Rebels on a gloomy evening in Virginia. After a blank first inning, UNLV got right back at the plate as Alyssa Trejo sent one straight out to center to make it a quick 1-0 in the top of the second inning. Jesse Farrell and Kelsei Kelso hit back-to-back singles to give UNLV two base runners. A bunt by Sofia Morales put her on first to load the bases. Marisa Bowman then reached on a fielder's choice which got the lead runner, but Kelso was smart on the base path and stole home to make it 2-0. Bri Williams then smacked a double to the center field wall and made it 3-0. An RBI single by Maddie Schmidt and a walk by Janyssa Martin then loads the bases again for UNLV, 4-0. The Spartans made a pitching change, but that didn't stop the Rebels as Ariana Martinez brought around two more runs on a single to right field, 6-0. UNLV took advantage of an error to give them a solid 7-0 lead. Norfolk State cut the deficit to five, after scoring two runs on a single and double in the bottom of the second, 7-2. In the bottom of the fourth, the Spartans tacked on another on an RBI single to left center, 7-3. UNLV and Norfolk State battled it out and kept each other off the board, and the Rebels shut down the Spartans at their final at-bats with a double play and a fly out to secure the victory.
 
UP NEXT: Saturday's games for the Rebels have been canceled due to inclement weather in the forecast and will resume the Norfolk State Invitational on Sunday, March 10 at 8:30 a.m. PT against Youngstown State. UNLV will then play Quinnipiac at 10:30 a.m. PT to conclude the tournament.