The UNLV softball team left Albuquerque with two more conference wins Wednesday, leaning on Yanina Sherwood in the circle and Mantha Hatzenbeller at the plate to sweep New Mexico in a Mountain West doubleheader.
UNLV took the opener 8-4, then edged the Lobos 3-2 in the second game to improve to 22-18 overall and 9-5 in conference play. Sherwood factored into both wins, earning the game one victory after throwing six innings and then picking up the game two decision with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Hatzenbeller set the tone across both games. She went 4-for-7 on the day with a triple, a home run and four RBI, delivering the biggest swing in the nightcap when UNLV needed it most.
Opener breaks open early
UNLV did most of its damage in the first game from the second through the fifth innings.
Rachel Cook opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second, and Natalie Turner followed with a two-run single to push the Rebels in front 3-0. An inning later, Lyla Gonzalez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run.
New Mexico trimmed the deficit on Hayden Luderer’s solo homer in the third, but UNLV answered with its biggest swing of the opener in the fourth. Keyannah Chavez doubled, Diamond Sefe worked a walk and Hatzenbeller ripped a two-run triple to deep right. Taryn Calderon followed with an RBI double to make it 7-1.
UNLV added one more run in the fifth on Charelle Aki’s ground-ball double play, which brought Bri Williams home.
Sherwood improved to 8-7 in the opener, allowing seven hits and four runs, three earned, across six innings. Lauren Fettic worked the seventh to close it out. Turner drove in two runs, while Hatzenbeller and Calderon each had two hits. Cook added an RBI single and drew two walks.
Hatzenbeller delivers again
The second game was tighter from the start.
UNLV scored first in the opening inning when Sefe singled to center to plate Williams. New Mexico answered in the second on an unearned run that scored on a wild pitch, and the teams stayed even until the fourth.
That was when Presley Barnes doubled to open the frame, Gwyn Burnett entered as a pinch runner and Hatzenbeller lined an RBI single up the middle to put the Rebels back in front. The Lobos tied it again in the fifth after a pair of hits and a UNLV error.
Hatzenbeller answered one more time in the sixth, driving a solo homer to right for the game-winning run.
Fettic started and gave UNLV 4.2 innings, allowing two runs, both unearned, while striking out four. Sherwood took over in the fifth and did not allow a hit, retiring the Lobos in order in the seventh to improve to 9-7.
Hatzenbeller finished 2-for-3 with two RBI in game two. Sefe added an RBI single, while Barnes and Rachel Cook each doubled.
Up next
UNLV returns home to host Utah State on Saturday at 3 p.m. PT at Eller Media Stadium, then wraps the two-game Mountain West series Sunday at noon 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.
