LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV Softball team earned two victories on day one of the UNLV Rebel Classic on Friday at Eller Media Stadium. The Rebels (5-2) defeated Idaho State (4-2) 4-3 in walk-off fashion and run-ruled Monmouth (0-7) 8-0 in six innings.
The Scarlet & Gray out-hit their opponents 18-9 through two games and only allowed three runs on the day.
Yanina Sherwood collected the victory against the Bengals, and
Jazmine Chavez earned the shutout victory over Monmouth.
Karmyna Becerra hit a home run in each of the Rebels' two games.
GAME 1: UNLV 4, Idaho State 3
After two scoreless innings, the Bengals jumped out front first with a three-run home run to go ahead 3-0 in the top of the third. The Rebels were then held in the bottom half of the third inning. UNLV then retired Idaho State in the top of the fourth, which brought the Rebels back to the plate.
Ariana Martinez led off the bottom of the fourth with a beauty of a double to right field. After a fly out, the Rebels were able to move the runner to third. With a 1-0 count,
Karmyna Becerra sent the next pitch she saw straight out over the center field wall to get the Rebels within one, 3-2. Both squads were scoreless for the next two innings, until UNLV came back to the plate in the bottom half of the seventh.
Bri Williams and
Maggie Vasa hit back-to-back singles to give the Rebels runners on first and second with no outs. With one out,
Sofia Morales hit an infield single to load the bases. Martinez stepped up to the plate, and with a 0-1 count, she sent a single through the left side which resulted in two runs coming in for the walk-off victory.
GAME 2: UNLV 8, Monmouth 0 (6 innings)
Both squads were held off the board in the first inning. In the bottom of the second inning,
Maddie Scott roped an RBI double down the left field line to give UNLV a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third inning, Becerra hit her second homer of the day to put UNLV up 2-0. Scott led off the bottom half of the fourth with a walk and Morales moved her to second on a single up the middle. With one out, and Becerra up to the plate, on the first pitch Morales stole second and Scott stole home to give the Scarlet & Gray a 3-0 lead.
Jesse Farrell then hit a ground ball to the right side of the field for a base hit, scoring Morales to make it 4-0. In the bottom of the fifth, the Rebels added two more runs on a Morales double to right, 6-0. The Hawks had a runner on in the top of the sixth inning, but the Rebels retired the next two batters. In the bottom of the sixth, UNLV tallied two more runs to complete the run-rule victory.
OTHER NOTES:
- With the victory over Idaho State, head coach Kristie Fox collected her 350th career win as a head coach.
- Becerra was 2-for-2 against Idaho State, with two RBI, a walk and scored one run. Against Monmouth, she had one hit, which was a solo blast.
- Martinez was 2-for-4 with two RBI versus the Bengals, and tallied one hit against the Hawks.
- Farrell was 3-for-3 against Monmouth with a RBI and a run scored.
- Bri Williams was 2-for-3 versus the Hawks.
- Morales was 2-for-4 against Monmouth with two RBI and crossed the plate once.
UP NEXT: The Rebels continue the home tournament on Saturday, Feb. 15 against Idaho State at 3 PM.
