SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team went 2-0 on day two of the UC Santa Barbara Tournament on Saturday at Campus Diamond. The Rebels (12-6) defeated Creighton (9-5) 4-3 and the host UC Santa Barbara (10-10) 10-4.
 
UNLV fell behind in both games of the day, but battled back and secured two huge wins and the third straight win. Ariana Martinez led the Scarlet & Gray for the second day in a row, this time batting a .625 (5-for-8) which included two RBI, a walk, a home run and scored three runs. Bri Williams batted a combined .500 (2-for-4), which included a double, two RBI, two walks and scored two runs. Amelia Weber collected both wins on the day, in relief and had a 1.45 ERA.
 
GAME 1: UNLV 4, Creighton 3
 
In the bottom of the first inning, the Bluejays took an early 1-0 lead. The Rebels answered back in the top of the second inning, tying the game on a Bri Williams sac bunt. In the top of the third inning, UNLV went ahead 2-1 on a bases loaded sac fly to right by Sage VanDemark. Creighton took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on two singles. Karmyna Becerra roped a home run out to left field in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game 3-all. With two outs in the top of the sixth, Bri Williams drew a five-pitch walk. Maddie Scott then smacked a triple to right center, bringing Williams home and made it 4-3 in favor of UNLV. In the bottom half of the final frame, the Rebels retired the Bluejays in order to capture the win.

Rebels defeat Creighton 🤩 pic.twitter.com/5jAsQO2WO4
— UNLV Softball (@UNLVSoftball) March 1, 2025
 

GAME 2: UNLV 10, UC Santa Barbara 4
 
The Rebels fell behind in the bottom of the first inning as the Gauchos hit a two-run home run to take the lead. Jesse Farrell led things off in the top of the second inning with a double to right center. Williams then sent one back up the middle, which brought Farrell across the plate and cut the deficit to one, 2-1. Bri Hamilton then hit an infield single to give UNLV runners on the corners. Brooke Pisciotta then stepped into the box and singled down the left field line bringing Williams across the plate to tie the game 2-2. With two outs in the top of the second, Sofia Morales sent one up the middle bringing in Hamilton to make it 3-2. In the top of the third, Pisciotta had another RBI single to increase the lead by two, 4-2. The Gauchos scored in the bottom of the third on a sac fly to center and made it 4-3. The Rebels tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth inning on three hits and made it 7-3. Becerra hit a sac fly to center in the top of the fifth inning bringing home Ariana Martinez, 8-3. UCSB scored a run in the bottom half of the sixth on a single to center, 8-4. In the top half of the final frame, Pisciotta led things off with a single to left. Maddie Scott then put down a beauty of a bunt moving Pisciotta into scoring position. Martinez came to the plate and with a full count, sent the next pitch she saw over the right center field wall and made it 10-4. In the bottom of the seventh, the Gauchos tried to threaten with runners on first and second with two outs, but a pop up to second base retired UCSB and UNLV secured the win.

2-0 ON THE DAY! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/LYzPQnZcOf
— UNLV Softball (@UNLVSoftball) March 2, 2025
 

OTHER NOTES:

• Against Creighton, Martinez was 2-for-3 with a walk.
• Weber came into the game against Creighton and pitched 3.1 innings only allowing one hit and collected the win, in relief.
• Farrell was 3-for-4 against UCSB, scored three runs for the Rebels and had one RBI.
• Pisciotta was also 3-for-4 against the Gauchos, which included two RBI and a run scored.
• Hamilton and Williams each had two hits and an RBI against UCSB.

 
UP NEXT: UNLV closes out the UCSB Tournament against the Gauchos on Sunday, March 2 at 12:45 p.m. on ESPN+.