The UNLV softball team pushed the right buttons Saturday afternoon, getting timely RBI from the heart of the order and steady work in the circle to beat San Jose State 3-2 and even the Mountain West series at Spartan Softball Field.
UNLV moved back into the win column at 13-14 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The Rebels got contributions from the middle of the lineup all day, with Diamond Sefe, Natalie Turner and Mantha Hatzenbeller each driving in a run in a game that never gave either side much breathing room.
San Jose State struck first in the opening inning when Reina Zermeno doubled and later scored on Carly Cummings’ RBI double to left center.
The Scarlet & Gray answered in the third. Keyannah Chavez started the rally with a two-out double to deep center, and Charelle Aki followed with a single to put runners at the corners. After Camryn Johnson entered to run for Aki, Sefe punched a single to third that brought Chavez home to tie it. One batter later, Turner reached on a fielding error by the Spartans at third, allowing Johnson to score the go-ahead run for a 2-1 UNLV lead.
Arms settle the game
Emma Wardlaw gave the UNLV softball team a solid start before Lauren Fettic took over and finished it.
Wardlaw worked 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on six hits. She did not issue a walk and kept the Rebels within striking distance until the Spartans tied the game in the fourth on Sophia Burdick’s RBI single to left.
That was when Fettic took control.
The freshman right-hander entered with one out in the fourth and runners on second and third. She escaped that jam, then kept San Jose State off the board the rest of the way. Fettic tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, allowed no hits, walked one and struck out two to earn the win and improve to 6-6.
She was especially sharp late. After UNLV reclaimed the lead in the sixth, Fettic retired the Spartans in order in the seventh, closing the door with two groundouts and a strikeout.
Triple seals it
UNLV found the winning run in the sixth with a clean, small-ball sequence.
Sefe opened the inning with a walk, and Hailey Gilbertson came on to run. Turner then dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scoring position. Hatzenbeller did the rest, driving a ball deep to center for her first triple of the season and scoring Gilbertson with the go-ahead run.
That made it 3-2, and the Rebels made it stand.
Sefe reached base all three times, going 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Bri Williams added a 2-for-4 day, while Chavez doubled and scored. Hatzenbeller finished with the decisive RBI triple, and Turner added a hit and an RBI while helping manufacture the winning run.
Up next
UNLV and San Jose State close the series Sunday at 12 p.m. PT in San Jose.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
