LAS VEGAS – The Fresno State softball team defeated the UNLV Rebels 8-5 on Saturday afternoon in a hard-fought Mountain West series finale at Jim Rogers Field at Eller Media Stadium.
Fresno State (16-21, 5-4 Mountain West) used 11 hits to score eight runs against UNLV (19-18, 5-7 MW) to move into a tie for third place with Nevada in the MW standings.
Keahilele Mattson and Vanessa M. Hernandez each crushed home runs in the conference road win for the Bulldogs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNLV's Ariana Martinez hit an opposite field three-run home run in the first to give the Rebels an early 3-0 lead on the Bulldogs.
Fresno State's offense rallied back and batted around in the top of the fifth with five runs en route to a 5-3 lead on UNLV.
The fifth-frame fireworks began when senior designated player Vanessa M. Hernandez launched a solo homer deep over the left center field fence for the first of six Bulldog hits, including four singles in a row, in the inning. Emma Martinez, Juliana Wilson and Bella Rocco each recorded RBI singles for the 'Dogs.
The Rebels answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to even the score at 5-5.
In the sixth, Alyssa Rebolledo and Kennedy Bunker opened with back-to-back singles and then Mattson rocketed a three-run blast yard to lift Fresno State into an 8-5 lead over UNLV.
Fresno State relief pitcher Taylor Gilmore (8-5), who threw the final five innings of the game, then retired the Rebels in order in the sixth and seventh innings to close out the win.
NOTES
This was the sixth time this season that Fresno State has had at least 10 hits in a game.
This was the eighth time this season (first against a MW opponent) that Fresno State has had at least eight runs in a game.
Kennedy Bunker, Alesia Denby, Keahilele Mattson and Bella Rocco each made their 37th starts of the season (every game of the 2023 season).
Mattson, Rocco, Rebolledo and Bunker each recorded multi-hit efforts with two hits apiece in the victory.
Shelbi Denman made her ninth start (21st appearance) in the circle for Fresno State this season.
Taylor Gilmore made her 14th relief appearance (32nd overall) in the circle for Fresno State this season.
Fresno State improved to 60-25 in its all-time series with UNLV (26-9 all-time in games played in Las Vegas).
NEXT UP
Fresno State next hosts San Jose State in a doubleheader on Wednesday, starting at 3:30 p.m. PT at Margie Wright Diamond, and then travels to face Utah State in a two-game weekend set on April 15-16 in Logan, Utah.