PHOENIX, Ariz. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team split day two of the Purple Classic hosted by GCU on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium. The Rebels (14-8) dropped 3-1 to Saint Joseph's (8-11), but bounced back and defeated Penn (1-8) 6-1 in game two of the day.
 
Karmyna Becerra led the Scarlet & Gray through two games batting .500 (4-for-8) on the day. Becerra had one RBI and scored a run for the Rebels. Yanina Sherwood collected the win against Penn, for her sixth victory of the season. Sherwood did not allow an earned run to cross the plate.
 
GAME 1: UNLV 1, Saint Joseph's 3
 
After five and a half scoreless innings, Saint Joseph's took advantage of a throwing error and scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Maddie Scott led off with a single to right center. Ariana Martinez then advanced Scott to second on a ground ball. With one out, Sofia Morales ran all the way through the bag and was called safe at first after a throwing error by the Hawks' second baseman. On the throwing error, Scott was heads up on the base path and able to score, cutting the deficit to two, 3-1. The Rebels were then retired on the next two at-bats.
 
GAME 2: UNLV 6, PENN 1
 
Both squads were held scoreless for the first two innings until the Rebels jumped out front first in the bottom of the third. Sofia Morales got things going with an infield single and Kamryna Becerra followed with a single of her own to left field. A Rebels' ground ball moved Morales and Becerra into scoring position. Jesse Farrell hit a sac fly to center scoring Morales, and Becerra scored on a throwing error by Penn's center fielder, 2-0. In the bottom of the fourth, the Rebels tallied on three more runs to their lead including RBI singles from Martinez and Becerra. In the top of the fifth, UNLV retired Penn in order on three straight ground balls. In the bottom half of the fifth, Jesse Farrell roped a home run straight out to center on the first pitch she saw and made it 6-0. The Quakers scored on a single up the middle in the top of the sixth inning, 6-1 and the Rebels were held off the board in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Penn tried to threaten with bases loaded and two outs, but UNLV got a ground ball to third to end the game.
 
OTHER NOTES:

• Jesse Farrell had the squad's only home run for the day and had two RBI.
• Sofia Morales had two hits through two games. She is currently on a three-game hitting streak.
• Becerra has reached base in 12 straight games.
• The Rebels drew five walks through two games.
• UNLV out-hit its opponents 13-7.
• The Scarlet & Gray held opponents to only hit a combined .152 on the day.

 
UP NEXT: The Rebels will close out the Purple Classic on Sunday, March 9 with two games. UNLV will first play Penn at 9 a.m. followed by a rescheduled versus GCU at 11:30 a.m.