The UNLV softball team won its fifth straight game Friday night, using a four-run fourth inning and a complete-game effort from Lauren Fettic to beat Boise State 6-5 in the Mountain West series opener at Dona Larsen Park.
UNLV improved to 25-18 overall and 12-5 in conference play, staying in third place in the Mountain West. The finish was tight, with Boise State scoring two runs in the seventh and bringing the tying run to the plate before Fettic recorded the final out.
The Rebels were quiet through the first three innings and trailed 1-0 after Boise State scored in the third on Kate Penberthy’s RBI double.
UNLV answered in the fourth when Natalie Turner opened the inning with a bunt single and Keyannah Chavez followed with a hit up the middle. Diamond Sefe then drew a walk to load the bases for Charelle Aki, who lined a two-run single to left-center to put the Rebels in front.
Two batters later, Presley Barnes drove a two-run homer to center, scoring Sefe and stretching the lead to 4-1.
Turner and Chavez add on
UNLV scored two more times in the fifth and needed both runs.
Rachel Cook opened the inning with a walk, and Hailey Gilbertson entered as a pinch runner and moved to second on a wild pitch. Lyla Gonzalez then walked, and Turner grounded out to second to bring Gilbertson home for a 5-1 lead. Chavez followed with a single to left that scored Gonzalez and pushed the advantage to 6-1.
Boise State answered with a two-run homer from Mya Flindt in the fifth, then made things tense again in the seventh when Flindt launched another two-run shot to cut the deficit to 6-5. Sophia Romero followed with a single, but Fettic got Hollie Farmer on a fielder’s choice before retiring Rustie Riley on a lineout to right to end it.
Fettic goes the distance
Fettic improved to 11-7 after allowing five runs on 10 hits in seven innings. She walked two, struck out four and threw 140 pitches in the complete-game win.
Chavez finished 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Aki also went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Barnes drove in two with her fourth-inning homer. Turner added a bunt single, an RBI and a run scored, and Sefe reached base three times with a hit and two walks.
Up next
UNLV continues the three-game series at Boise State on Saturday at 1 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.
