The UNLV softball team kept its surge rolling Friday afternoon behind a complete effort from Yanina Sherwood.
Sherwood tossed five scoreless innings, and the Rebels backed her with 12 hits in an 8-0 run-rule win over Colorado State at Eller Media Stadium. The sophomore right-hander allowed four hits, walked four and struck out three to improve to 7-7 on the season as UNLV stretched its winning streak to four games and moved to 20-17 overall and 7-4 in Mountain West play.
Keyannah Chavez sparked the offense by going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Natalie Turner finished 2-for-2 and scored once, while Lyla Gonzalez went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Bri Williams added two hits and drove in the final run with a fifth-inning double.
Early pressure, then a flood
The Rebels wasted little time getting on the board.
Williams reached on a Colorado State throwing error to open the bottom of the first, moved to third on Turner’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Chavez’s RBI single to shallow center for a 1-0 lead.
UNLV added another run in the second. Mantha Hatzenbeller singled, Rachel Cook followed with a hit to right-center and Gonzalez lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring Hatzenbeller home.
The big swing inning came in the third, even without an extra-base hit. Turner singled, Chavez followed with another single and Charelle Aki loaded the bases with a base hit to left-center. Diamond Sefe then worked an RBI walk, and Taryn Calderon added another run with a fielder’s choice. Moments later, Calderon stole second and Gwyn Burnett scored on a throwing error by Colorado State catcher Bradie Poteet-Herre to make it 5-0.
Chavez keeps it moving
UNLV kept pressing in the fourth.
Gonzalez singled to start the inning, Williams followed with a single down the right field line and Turner dropped down a bunt single to load the bases. A throwing error on the play allowed Gonzalez to score, and Chavez came through again with an RBI single to right-center for a 7-0 advantage.
That was more than enough for Sherwood, who worked out of early traffic in the first and never let Colorado State build real momentum. The Rams put runners on base with four walks, but UNLV turned a double play behind Sherwood and kept every CSU threat from becoming a crooked number.
Williams ended it in the fifth with an RBI double to left-center after Hailey Gilbertson stole second as a pinch runner, sealing the Rebels’ second straight win over Colorado State in the series.
Up next
UNLV will go for the series sweep against Colorado State on Saturday at noon 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.
