The UNLV softball team locked up its Mountain West series against San Diego State on Saturday, riding early power and steady relief work to a 6-3 win at Eller Media Stadium.
With the victory, UNLV improved to 16-15 overall and 3-2 in conference play. The Rebels took the first two games of the weekend set and will go for the sweep on Sunday.
Raegen Everett picked up her first win of the season after giving UNLV 1.1 innings in relief. Yanina Sherwood followed with the first save of her year, closing the final 2.2 innings. The Scarlet and Gray got another sharp start from Lauren Fettic, who worked the first three innings and allowed one run on two hits.
At the plate, Bri Williams led the way with a 3-for-4 day that included a double, a two-run homer and two runs scored. Mantha Hatzenbeller added a solo shot, while Keyannah Chavez also went deep as the Rebels scored in five of the six innings they batted.
Fast start, loud swings
UNLV wasted little time getting on the board.
After Gwyn Burnett got aboard and moved into scoring position in the first, Charelle Aki brought her home with a sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead.
The Rebels then opened things up in the second. Hatzenbeller started the inning with a solo homer to deep left. Two batters later, Rachel Cook doubled to right center, and Williams followed by launching a two-run homer to deep center. Just like that, UNLV had a 4-0 cushion.
San Diego State answered in the third when Lala Macario singled home Mia Rodriguez to make it 4-1, but the Rebels kept pushing.
In the fourth, Williams doubled to right center and later scored on Natalie Turner’s RBI single to left. Turner was thrown out trying to stretch the hit, but the run counted and UNLV had a 5-1 lead.
Trading punches
The Aztecs kept hanging around.
San Diego State trimmed it to 5-2 in the fifth on Jade Ignacio’s sacrifice fly. UNLV responded immediately in the bottom half when Chavez drilled a solo homer to deep right, restoring the lead to four at 6-2.
That answer proved important.
The Aztecs got one back in the seventh when Quinn Waiki doubled home Angie Yellen with two outs. But Sherwood stayed composed and finished it off from there.
UNLV’s pitching line was a team effort. Fettic went 3.0 innings, Everett covered 1.1, and Sherwood handled the final 2.2. Together, they limited San Diego State to six hits.
Numbers that mattered
Williams’ big afternoon set the tone, but she had help.
Hatzenbeller finished 1-for-2 with a walk and her home run. Chavez went 1-for-1 with a walk, a hit by pitch and a homer. Cook added a double and a run scored. Turner reached twice, drove in a run and stole a base.
The Rebels managed just seven hits, but they made them count.
Defensively, the final margin got tense, though UNLV held firm. Sherwood closed the door in the seventh after the Aztecs cut it to 6-3, preserving the series-clinching win.
Up next
UNLV closes the three-game home series against San Diego State on Sunday at 12 p.m. PT at Eller Media Stadium.
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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.
