UNLV Snags Two Wins From Softball

Friday, April 22

Salt Lake City, Utah

TBA

University of Utah

UNLV

4/22/2005 12:00 AM | Softball

April 22, 2005

UNLV-Utah -- Box Score Game 1
UNLV-Utah -- Box Score Game 2

SALT LAKE CITY - Marissa Nichols hit a pair of home runs and tallied five RBI as she helped UNLV snag a pair of wins over the University of Utah softball team here this afternoon, 6-2 and 7-1.

Nichols was one of five Rebel batters to tally three hits on the day in going 3-for-5 at the plate and lifting her squad to a 34-15 overall mark and a 10-2 conference tally. The doubleheader loss drops Utah to 15-24 on the year and to 3-9 in Mountain West Conference Play.

Diana Phillips (3-for-5), Ivette Hernandez (3-for-5) and Jackie Wong (3-for-8) all had three-hit afternoons to lead the Utes at the plate. But, Utah struggled with timely hitting in leaving 18 runners on base and tallying 14 hits on the day (to UNLV's 23 hits). Phillips and Wong were the only Utes to tally RBIs on the afternoon.

Lindsie Nielsen got the nod in game one as she struck out three, walked one and allowed 13 hits and four runs. Brianna Gourdin came on in game two and tallied three K's, two walks and surrendered 10 hits and seven earned runs. Nielsen falls to 6-12 for the year and Gourdin to 9-11.

UNLV 6, Utah 2

A leadoff home run in the first inning set the tone in game one as Utah spotted UNLV a quick 1-0 lead.

Nichols led the game off with a solo home run and UNLV added to it with a four-run fifth inning to make it 5-0. Only two of the runs in the fifth were unearned.

The Utes did rally in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back RBI singles by Wong and Phillips cut the UNLV lead to three runs as Bryanne Durrence and Sharee Fonoti each scored.

But, Brittany Freight hung one more run on the board for UNLV in the seventh with an RBI triple to the gap in right-center field.

It was a slugfest in the first game as UNLV held the 13-11 edge in hits, but the Utes left 11 runners on base in game one in scoring two runs.

UNLV 7, Utah 1

UNLV pounded out nine hits and scored all seven of its runs in the final two innings to cruise past Utah in game two. Utah had held the Rebels' potent offense to only one hit (a bunt single) through five innings.

Nichols accounted for everything the Rebels needed in the night cap as she hit a three-run home run to center field in the sixth to make it 3-0 for the visitors. An RBI single by Nichols and a bases-loaded double by Caitlyn Paus in the seventh gave the Rebels a 7-0 lead.

Utah would post its only run on some crafty base running by Meghan Crouse. With Crouse on second, UNLV shortstop Amber Campbell threw it away trying to peg Kelly Matthews at first. The errant throw allowed Crouse to easily score Utah's lone run.

Hits favored the Rebels as they tallied 10 of them to Utah's four. Utah left seven runners on while UNLV stranded four.