UNLV spotted Fresno State five early runs Friday night and never fully climbed out, falling 9-3 in the opener of a three-game Mountain West series at Margie Wright Diamond.
The UNLV softball team dropped to 16-17 overall and 3-4 in conference play after Fresno State struck for two runs in the first and three more in the second. The Rebels answered in flashes, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
Bulldogs strike first
Fresno State wasted little time taking control. Jamie Hicks delivered an RBI single in the first, and Mallory Vancleave followed with another run-scoring hit to make it 2-0.
The Bulldogs kept the pressure on in the second. Hicks drove in another run, then Olivia Hill added a two-run single as Fresno State stretched the lead to 5-0.
That quick start put UNLV in chase mode for the rest of the night.
UNLV answers, but Fresno State responds
The Rebels showed life in the third. Lyla Gonzalez worked a walk and Bri Williams followed with a single before Keyannah Chavez lined an RBI single to center. Charelle Aki then added another RBI single to right, trimming the deficit to 5-2.
Fresno State answered again in the fourth. Hicks doubled home a run, and Alyssa Ramirez added an RBI single to push the margin to 7-2.
After the Bulldogs added two more runs in the fifth on Jayda Crosby’s two-run homer, UNLV scratched back once more in the sixth. Taryn Calderon singled, and Mantha Hatzenbeller ripped a double down the left field line to bring her home and make it 9-3.
That was as close as the Scarlet and Gray would get.
Numbers that mattered
Williams paced UNLV offensively by going 2-for-4 and scoring a run. Chavez finished 1-for-4 with an RBI, while Aki went 1-for-3 with an RBI of her own. Calderon was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored, and Hatzenbeller finished 1-for-3 with an RBI double.
Natalie Turner also doubled for the Rebels.
In the circle, Yanina Sherwood took the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, in 1.2 innings. Raegen Everett worked 2.1 innings and gave up two runs. Emma Wardlaw was charged with two runs without recording an out, and Sophie Stockam closed with two scoreless innings while striking out two.
Fresno State collected 12 hits, with Hicks going 3-for-3 and driving in three runs.
Up next
UNLV continues the series at Fresno State on Saturday at 2 p.m. PT.
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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.
