LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team is back in the win column after run-ruling Boston 9-0 in five innings and walking it off in the bottom of the seventh inning 3-2 against Fordham on Saturday at the second day of the Garnet & Black Invitational at Carolina Softball Stadium.
The Scarlet & Gray (9-4) outhit their opponents through two games 17-7 and only allowed two runs.
Yanina Sherwood and
Amelia Weber each collected victories on the day. Against the Terriers (8-5) nine different Rebels touched home plate in the five inning victory. In the win against Fordham (5-8), UNLV completed its seventh comeback of the season thus far to earn the win.
GAME 1: UNLV 9, Boston 0 (5 innings)
The first two innings were scoreless by both sides and the Rebels stepped to the plate in the top of the third inning.
Ariana Martinez drew a five-pitch walk with one out, which then brought
Karmyna Becerra into the box. Becerra smacked a single to left field giving UNLV runners on first and second with one out.
Jesse Farrell then roped a triple to left center on a 0-2 count scoring Martinez and Becerra to give UNLV a 2-0 lead. UNLV then tallied another run in the top of the fourth inning on a ground ball to the right side of the field, 3-0. In the top of the fifth inning, Farrell got things going with a lead off walk.
Diamond Sefe then put a beauty of a sac bunt down to move Farrell to second.
Destinee Noury hit an infield single to the right side, bringing in another run for the Rebels, 4-0. After a pitching change for Boston,
Charelle Aki came in to pinch hit. On a 2-1 count, Aki hit one through the left side of the field, bringing home two more runs and made it 6-0.
Maddie Scott then roped a triple down the left field line scoring two more runs and made it 8-0. Martinez hit a deep fly ball to center to bring in another run, 9-0, and gave the Rebels a good chance to run-rule the Terriers. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Terriers had a runner on first with one out. Boston then fouled out to Martinez at first to make it two outs. On three straight pitches, Sherwood sat down the final out to hold onto the run-rule victory.
GAME 2: UNLV 3, Fordham 2
The Rams got on the board first in the top of the first inning on a groundout to the right side of the field, 1-0. The next three innings were scoreless by both squads until the top of the fifth inning as Fordham tallied another run to go up 2-0. The Rebels answered in the bottom of the fifth inning, cutting the deficit in half thanks to a solo blast by Martinez. Both squads were held off the board in the sixth inning and in the top of the seventh, the Rebels retired the Rams in order. With one out in the bottom of the final inning, Martinez hit a single to right field. Becerra then steps into the box and sends the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to walk-off the game with a 3-2 UNLV victory.
OTHER NOTES:
- Jesse Farrell was 2-for-2 against the Terriers, including a walk, two RBI and scored one run.
- Sofia Morales was 2-for-3 against Boston and scored one run.
- Maddie Scott and Charelle Aki each had a two and two RBI.
- Yanina Sherwood is now 4-1 on the season; Amelia Weber is now 3-1 on the season
- Martinez was 2-for-3 at the plate against Fordham and had a RBI and a walk.
- Karmyna Becerra was 2-for-4 against the Rams and had two RBI.
- Martinez has now reached base in all 13 games this season.
- Bri Williams is on an eleven-game reached base streak.
- The Rebels have now walked off seven of their nine wins on the season.
UP NEXT: The Rebels will close out the Garnet & Black Invitational playing the host No. 24 South Carolina on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET.
