May 6, 2005

LAS VEGAS - Eight runs and 10 hits were racked up by UNLV (38-16, 14-3 Mountain West Conference) in its 8-0 six inning game one blanking of Colorado State (29-17, 8-5 MWC). Jacque Kerrigan (25-13) picked up her 24th win and eighth shutout of the season as she was backed by plenty of offensive support by her teammates. Marissa Nichols (3-for-4), Caitlyn Paus (2-for-3) and Maggie Livreri (2-for-3) recorded seven of UNLV's hits in the game.

Nichols opened things up with a single to center off Jessica Strickland (11-7) in the first. The hit extended Nichols' hitting streak to 10-games, which ties her personal and team-high for the season. Nichols followed the hit with her 29th stolen base of the year, and the first of two in the game. She advanced to third when the catcher's throw to second deflected into right field. Paus brought Nichols in with an RBI-single to left. Brittany Meade walked and moved to second on a single by Livreri to load the bases. Two scored on a single through the right side by Brittany Freight. Freight was credited with one RBI on the play, as Paus scored and Mead took home when the CSU rightfielder misplayed fielding the ball.

With the score 3-0 in UNLV's favor, the Rebels tacked three more to their total in the fourth. With two out, Amber Campbell walked. Nichols knocked Campbell in with a triple to right field. Paus kept the extra-base hitting alive with a home run to left field. After Paus' home run Strickland was replaced in the circle by Genevieve Kelly. Kelly recorded the final out to close out the inning.

Livreri put the Rebels up 7-0 when she cranked her seventh home run of the season to lead off the fifth.

Needing one run to end the ball game early, UNLV picked up that run in the sixth. Nichols hit her second extra-base hit of the game with a double down the left field line. With Paus at the plate, Nichols stole third on and took home on a wild pitch to end the game.

From the circle, Kerrigan was on. She allowed three hits, while striking three out. She didn't allow any walks, which improves her record to 9-0 in games in which she starts and walks none.

Game Notes:

-With her start in game one, Kerrigan moved to the top of UNLV's all-time career appearance list for a pitcher. Kerrigan broke a tie with UNLV great Lori Harrigan (1989-92) with appearance #162.

-Kerrigan jumped into a three-way tie for most wins in a single-season with her 25th tonight.

-By scoring three runs in game one, Nichols moved into a first-place tie with Kim Rondina (1995) with 58 runs scored all-time in a single-season.

-Nichols moved into a fourth-place tie in the single-season hits category as she collected three in game one. Nichols has 80 on the season.

-In the career category, Nichols moved into a 10th-place tie for triples with her seventh.

-Morgan Bostwick added one more game to her career games played. She has played in 238, which is third all-time.