LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team will close out the non-conference slate at the Purple Classic hosted by Grand Canyon on Friday, March 7 - Sunday, March 9. The Scarlet & Gray joins San Diego, Saint Joseph's, Penn and the host GCU for the weekend.
 
SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 7 - San Diego vs. UNLV at 4:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. MT
Friday, March 7 - UNLV at GCU CANCELED
 
Saturday, March 8 - Saint Joseph's vs. UNLV at 11:00 a.m. PT/12:00 p.m. MT
Saturday, March 8 - UPenn vs. UNLV at 1:30 p.m. PT/2:30 p.m. MT
 
Sunday, March 9 - UPenn vs. UNLV at 9:00 a.m. PT
 
UNLV vs. THE FIELD
All-time vs. GRAND CANYON: 3-1
Streak: Won 2
First meeting: GCU won 8-0 (6) on March 19, 2016
Last meeting: Won 8-7 on March 8, 2020
 
All-time vs. PENN: First meeting
Streak: N/A
First meeting: N/A
Last meeting: N/A
 
All-time vs. SAINT JOSEPH'S: 2-0
Streak: Won 2
First meeting: Won 5-3 on March 6, 2020
Last meeting: Won 5-1 on March 7, 2020
 
All-time vs. SAN DIEGO: 10-4
Streak: Won 1
First meeting: Won 11-3 (5) on Feb. 19, 2010
Last meeting: Won 4-0 on March 3, 2024
 
BROADCAST INFO: The Purple Classic will only have a stream for games vs. GCU on ESPN+. Live stats are available on UNLVRebels.com
 
NEXT SERIES: UNLV will open Mountain West play on the road visiting Colorado State for a three-game series beginning Friday, March 14 and concluding on Sunday, March 16. All games will be streamed on the MW Network.
 
LAST TIME ON THE FIELD: UNLV went 4-1 last weekend at the UCSB Tournament. The Rebels collected wins over Creighton and UCSB. For the weekend, Martinez led the squad with a .556 (10-for-18) batting average, which included a double, two home runs and six RBI. She also had three walks to go with a .619 on-base percentage and a .944 slugging percentage. In the circle, Amelia Weber went 3-0 in three appearances collecting all three wins in relief. Weber threw 16.2 innings and struck out 14 batters. Yanina Sherwood went 1-1 through 15.2 innings of work and struck out 16 through three appearances.
 
SCOUTING THE FIELD: The Lopes enter the weekend with a 16-3 record and are led by Savannah Kirk who is batting a .500. Jada Cooper leads the squad in RBI with 17, while Makaiya Gomez is the home run leader with six, respectively. In the circle, Meghan Golden leads GCU's staff with a 0.91 ERA. Golden has a 5-0 record through eight appearances.
 
The Quakers head into the weekend with a 1-5 record and are led by Jade Montgomery who is hitting .500. Ainsley Pemberton leads the Quakers' pitching staff with a 3.86 ERA and a 1-2 record.
 
Saint Joseph's heads into the Purple Classic with a 7-8 record and are led by Meghan Sinkus who is hitting .375. Sinkus also leads the squad in RBI with 12, while Sierra Fretz is the home run leader with four. Marla Freiwald leads the Hawks' pitching staff with a 4.01 ERA and a 1-1 record through 12 appearances. Jenna Wagner has a 3-2 record through eight appearances for Saint Joseph's pitching staff.
 
The Toreros hold a 9-13 record heading into the Purple Classic and are led by Michelle Delgado who is batting .404. Alyssa Hernandez leads San Diego in RBI with 12, while Taylor Johnson leads the squad in home runs with three. For the Toreros' pitching staff, Kelsey Tadlock has an ERA of 3.59 and a 3-4 record through 16 appearances. Kaitlyn Bartlow has a 5-4 record for the pitching staff and a 4.78 ERA.
 
QUEEN OF RBI: Senior infielder Ariana Martinez became the new program leader for career RBI with 178 and counting. As she headed into the UCSB Tournament, she was only three RBI away from the top and in just the second game of opening day of the tournament, she hit a two-run home run against Creighton to take over as the career RBI leader.
 
350 CAREER WINS: Head coach Kristie Fox collected her 350th career win on Feb. 14, 2025 in the 4-3 victory over Idaho State in the opening game of the UNLV Rebel Classic. Fox currently has an overall head coaching record of 353-254 and an UNLV head coach recording of 219-117. Fox collected her 200th win at the helm of the Rebels last season on March 28, 2024 in the 7-3 victory over Utah State.
 
LAST YEAR: The Rebels had an overall record of 31-19 including a 14-8 MW record and a trip to the MW Championships. Maddie Scmidt was named MW Defensive Player of the Year. Ariana Martinez picked up All-MW first team honors and Schmidt and Ellie Zellien garnered All-MW second team honors.
 
REBELS' SQUAD: UNLV returns 6 letterwinners, including three position starters. All-Mountain West and NFCA All-West selection Ariana Martinez returns along with NFCA All-West recipient Jesse Farrell and Sofia Morales. Charelle Aki, Kailani Olivas and Bri Willams also return to the Rebels this season. UNLV welcomes 15 newcomers to the squad which include: freshmen Gwyn Burnett, Jazmine Chavez, Mantha Hatzenbeller, Kamryn Messick and Yanina Sherwood; sophomores: Ellie Bostedt, Bri Hamilton, Brooke Pisciotta and Sage Vandemark; juniors: Maddie Scott, Diamond Sefe, Maggie Vasa and Amelia Weber; senior Karmyna Becerra and graduate student Destinee Noury.
 
The Rebels bring back three of the top-five hitters from last season which includes Martinez, Farrell and Morales. Martinez led the squad with a .396 batting average, and posted team-highs in doubles (15), RBI (51), slugging percentage (.708) and on-base percentage (503). Farrell hit .359 with 12 doubles and a team-high 11 home runs. Farrell also had 46 RBI and the second-highest slugging percentage with a .683. Morales started all 50 games last season and batted a .350 with three doubles and two triples. Morales also had 19 RBI.