Softball Drops Two to UNLV

Thursday, April 5

Las Vegas, Nev.

5:00 PM

University of Utah

UNLV

4/5/2007 12:00 AM | Softball

April 5, 2007

Utah vs. UNLV, Game 1 Box Score
Utah vs. UNLV, Game 2 Box Score

LAS VEGAS - Mountain West Conference play got underway for the University of Utah softball team (19-14-1 overall, 0-2 MWC) in a doubleheader with the UNLV Rebels here this evening. Utah dropped a pair of one-run games to the Rebels, 3-2 and 2-1.

After tonight, the Rebels record settles to 26-16 overall and to 2-0 in league play.

Meghan Dyer got the start in game one, fanning 13 batters and holding the Rebels to just three hits. Karina Cannon took the circle in the nightcap. Cannon fanned seven batters and allowed three hits before leaving the game in the fifth inning. Both earn a hard-luck loss in their respective games.

Diana Phillips was the top bat tonight. She was 3-for-6 on the day. Meghan Crouse was 3-for-8 while Hailey Davenport was 2-for-6 with a home run and two of the team's three RBI.

The Utes return to action tomorrow when they play at San Diego State. First pitch of the single game against the conference rival is set for 6 p.m. (PDT).

Game 1 - Utah 2, UNLV 3
Davenport got the game going early for the Utes. Her two-run home run in the top of the first gave Utah a 2-0 lead. It also scored Kristie Keller. That lead held steady for the Utes for five and one-third inning.

Dyer took a no-hitter into the sixth but saw it broken up in a big way. On the heels of retiring nine straight Rebel batters, Jaci Hull hit a towering shot over the right field fence. It cut Utah's lead in half, 2-1.

The sixth inning continued to wreck havoc on the Utes as Brittany Bolinger's triple to the fence in center field scored Kelli Fangonilo. A fielding error on Brittany Meade's infield hit, with Bolinger on third, let the home team take a slim but firm 3-2 lead.

Stephanie Bregante got the win the circle for UNLV.

Game 2 - Utah 1, UNLV 2
UNLV broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth. A throwing error allowed UNLV to grab the 1-1 lead and Hull's RBI double down the right field line gave the home team the insurance run it needed.

The Utes had the chance to strike first with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and two outs. But, the Utes grounded out and ended the inning without a score on the board.

Kara Foster trimmed the UNLV lead back down to one with a solo home run in the sixth.

Utah did have a chance to tie it in the seventh. With two outs on the board, Davenport pushed a ball through the infield for a single. It moved Phillips over to third. However, UNLV pitcher Heather Slettvet got Staci Hemingway to pop out to end the game.

Slettvet pitched the win for the home team.