|
|
|
UNLV's Garza And Ellis Named Mountain West Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, Respectively
Garza hit .411 with eight RBI, while Ellis went 2-1 in three appearances.
Feb. 21, 2001
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - UNLV senior third baseman Linda Garza and freshman right-handed pitcher Kacey Ellis are the Mountain West Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. Both players helped the Rebels (7-5 overall) post a 3-2 record in their own UNLV Classic last week, while collecting the second consecutive player/pitcher award sweep for the Rebels. This is Garza's first player of the week award of her career, while Ellis is the first freshman to win pitcher of the week honors in the two-year old Mountain West Conference. Garza, from Fresno, Calif. (Hoover HS), went 7-for-17 (.411) with three RBI, two runs scored, two doubles and one triple in five games last week. She was a major factor in UNLV's three wins, collecting at least one hit in each game during the Classic and was not struck out in 17 at-bats. In the 1-0 win vs. Wisconsin in the Classic opener, Garza went 1-for-3 and scored the lone run in the victory. Against Central Michigan, she went 1-for-3 at the plate and hit the game-tying double to even the score at four in the third inning. The Rebels eventually lost the game 6-4. Her best performance came against Portland State, where she went 3-for-5 with an RBI, one run scored, a double and a triple. In the bottom of the 10th-inning, Garza tied the game at six with a triple and eventually scored the game-winning run on a double by freshman Lisa Moses. Ellis, from Brentwood, Tenn. (Brentwood HS), went 2-1 in three appearances at the UNLV Classic and posted a 1.22 ERA. Ellis captured the first shutout of her career in the 1-0 victory over Wisconsin. In seven innings of work, she faced 27 batters and allowed six hits, while striking out three and walking none. Kacey's lone loss of the week came to No. 7 California, 3-0. In just two-thirds of an inning on the mound, she gave up two runs off of three hits before leaving the game. Kacey rebounded in the Rebels 7-6 victory over Portland State and captured her second complete game of the Classic. In 10 innings of work, she faced 45 batters and allowed 10 hits, but gave up only one earned run. She also walked two and struck out four. Mountain West Conference Softball Players of the Week: Feb. 7 - Tiffani Chambers (Jr., C/UT), New Mexico, Feb. 14 - Racheal Goodpaster (Sr., SS), UNLV, Feb. 21 - Linda Garza (Sr., 3B), UNLV.
Mountain West Conference Softball Pitchers of the Week: Feb. 7 - Sandra Durazo (Sr., RHP), San Diego State, Feb. 14 - Nicole Traux (Jr., RHP), UNLV, Feb. 21 - Kacey Ellis (Fr., RHP), UNLV.
|
|
