Feb. 13, 2010

UNLV 7, UC Davis 2 (F)
UC Davis 8, Cal State Bakersfield 7 (F)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Sarah Axelson went 7-for-8 to help lead the UC Davis softball team to a split of its two games Saturday at the Sportco Kick-Off Classic in Las Vegas. The Aggies suffered a 7-2 loss to host UNLV before rallying for an 8-7 victory over Cal State Bakersfield. Axelson went 5-for-5 against CSUB and drove in three runs in the win.

UC Davis (3-1) collected 15 hits in the win over the Roadrunners and would need each one. The Aggies fell behind 4-1 in the second inning before eventually taking a 7-5 lead into the seventh inning. Cal State Bakersfield (1-3) rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh, but UC Davis won it in the bottom of the inning behind a game-winning single by Axelson.

Axelson started the scoring in the first inning with an RBI-single to drive in Megan Guzman. The Roadrunners then scored four times in the second inning only to have the Aggies respond for two more in the bottom of the frame. Alex Holmes provided the firepower with a two-run single to pull UC Davis within 4-3.

It was Axelson again in the fourth inning as the senior had a two-out run-scoring single to tie the game at 4-4. Each team scored a run in the fifth inning to keep the game tied at 5-5 heading to the bottom of the sixth. After a lead-off single by Axelson, Rachel Miller belted a two-run homer to left to give UC Davis a 7-5 lead.

Cal State Bakersfield came right back in the seventh to score twice and tie the game. That set the stage for the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. The Aggies were helped by a pair of Roadrunner defensive miscues that allowed two runners on with one out. That's the situation Axelson took advantage of as she delivered her fifth hit of the game to drive in the winning run.

Holmes picked up the win in relief and improved to 2-0 on the year. Guzman was one of five additional Aggies with at least two hits on the day as the freshman went 3-for-8 with four runs and two stolen bases.

Earlier in the day, UNLV scored five unearned runs in the second inning on its way to a 7-2 win.

UC Davis closes out the tournament Sunday when it faces UNLV at noon.