The UNLV softball team opened its weekend series against Utah State with a 7-4 win Saturday afternoon at Eller Media Stadium.
Lyla Gonzalez delivered the first big swing of the day, launching a three-run homer to deep center in the fourth inning to break a scoreless game. Gonzalez finished 2-for-3 with three RBI as the Rebels improved to 23-18 overall and 10-5 in Mountain West play.
Answer right back
Utah State answered in the fifth, scoring four runs to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead.
Kate Vance opened the inning with a single, and the Aggies kept the pressure on with a walk, another hit and a string of RBI plays. Faith Kroening drove in the first run on a fielder’s choice, Kya Pratt followed with an RBI single and Alex Bunton added another run-scoring hit. Utah State’s fourth run scored on a ball that reached on an error in center, making it 4-3.
UNLV responded immediately in the bottom half.
Diamond Sefe led off with a single, and Charelle Aki followed with a base hit to put two on. After a passed ball moved both runners up, Presley Barnes tied the game with a bunt fielder’s choice that scored Sefe. Two batters later, Mantha Hatzenbeller crushed a three-run homer to deep center, putting the Rebels back in front 7-4.
Numbers that mattered
Hatzenbeller went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBI. Rachel Cook added a 2-for-3 day with a walk, while Aki also had two hits. Natalie Turner tripled, and Gonzalez supplied the three-run homer that started the scoring.
In the circle, Lauren Fettic earned the win in relief to improve to 10-7. Fettic allowed one run, none earned, on three hits over 3.0 innings with one strikeout and no walks.
Yanina Sherwood started for UNLV and worked 4.0 scoreless innings before Utah State’s fifth-inning rally. She allowed four hits, three earned runs and one walk while striking out four.
UNLV out-hit Utah State 10-7 and drew five walks in the win.
Up next
UNLV wraps up its two-game series against Utah State on Sunday 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.
