LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team completed the comeback and secured a 6-3 victory over Merrimack College in the Rebel Classic finale on Sunday afternoon at Eller Media Stadium. The Scarlet & Gray (7-8) went 4-1 on the weekend collecting wins over Idaho State (8-6), Merrimack (0-5) twice and Valparaiso (6-8). The only loss came against Utah Valley (8-6).
 
Lyla Gonzalez and Diamond Sefe led the Rebels at the plate each going 2-for-3 on the night. Gonzalez and Sefe each also had an RBI on the day. Charelle Aki roped her third homer of the season, which was a two-run blast. Keyannah Chavez had the team's lone double. Natalie Turner was 1-for-2 on the day and also crossed the plate twice for UNLV. Yanina Sherwood collected her second victory of the season for the Rebels only allowing two hits and no earned runs.
 
HOW IT WENT DOWN: In the top of the first inning, the Warriors took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single. Merrimack tacked on another run in the top of the second inning on a solo homer to left field. In the bottom of the third inning, Natalie Turner got things going with a lead off bunt single. Turner then stole second and third to put herself in scoring position. With two outs, Taryn Calderon roped a single to bring Turner home and cut the deficit to one, 2-1. Keyannah Chabez led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a double to left center. Bri Williams then drew a four-pitch walk. With one out and an 0-2 count, Defe Sefe hit one up the middle bringing in a run to tie the game 2-all. Both squads were held off the board in the fifth inning, but in the bottom of the sixth, UNLV grabbed four more runs including a two-run homer by Charelle Aki to give the Rebels a 6-2 lead. In the top of the seventh inning, Merrimack took advantage of an UNLV error to get a run across the plate and made it 6-3 with two outs. The Rebels retired the Warriors on a ground ball to second to secure the win.
 
OTHER NOTES:

• Taryn Calderon also had a hit and an RBI against the Warriors.
• The Rebels had three walks on the day which included two from Bri Williams and one from Rachel Cook.
• For the weekend, Gonzalez led UNLV's offense with a .571 (8-for-14) which included two doubles and a triple. She also had six RBI through the Rebel Classic and crossed the plate four times.
• Through the weekend for Cook, she batted a .500 (7-for-14) with two doubles and her first home run of the season. She also had seven combined RBI.
• Aki led UNLV for the weekend in RBI with nine and five doubles.
• Lauren Fettic went 2-0 for the weekend with victories against Idaho State and Merrimack on Saturday. She pitched a combined 7.2 innings only allowing three hits and struck out seven including a career-high six against the Warriors on Saturday evening.
• Amelia Weber and Sherwood each collected a win on the weekend.

 
UP NEXT: The Scarlet & Gray will make their first road trip of the season visiting the
desert next door to Arizona. The Rebels will compete in the GCU/ASU Classic hosted by both
schools. UNLV will join UC Riverside, Eastern Illinois and Wisconsin. The Rebels will open up the classic on Friday, Feb. 27 at 12:15 p.m. PT/1:15 p.m. PT against UC Riverside in Tempe, Ariz.