REBELS VISIT MOUNTAIN WEST LEADERS BOISE STATE
Conference’s top two offenses face off against one another in Boise
UNLV (24-6 overall, 2-1 Mountain West) returns to conference play this weekend by visiting Mountain West leaders Boise State (27-5, 6-0) at Dona Larsen Park in Boise, Idaho.
“Boise’s not an easy place to play,” UNLV head coach Kristie Fox said. “The ball travels differently there and a lot are hit out of the park. Our pitchers will really have to work on keeping their pitches down in the zone, mixing up their speeds. Offensively, we just can’t get out of whack trying to hit long balls.”
UNLV has not played at Boise since the 2018 season when a late home run decided two of the three games in the series.
The series begins Friday, April 1, with the first pitch at 3 p.m. PT. Saturday is also 3 p.m. with Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
Broadcast info
All games of the series will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network via its official app or online at TheMW.com/watch.
UNLV vs. Boise State
- All-time vs. Boise State: 17-12
- Streak: Won 4.
- Last meeting: March 20-21, 2021. UNLV swept the series, 3-0, in Las Vegas.
Something’s Gotta Give
UNLV and Boise State are the Mountain West’s top two offenses and defenses. UNLV and Boise State are 1-2 in the conference rankings for batting average, home runs, scoring, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, fielding percentage and shutouts.
Three of the conference’s top hitters by average, and nine of the top 20 play for UNLV or Boise State.
A Perfect Circle
UNLV senior Jenny Bressler was named the Mountain West Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week on March 21. Bressler (12-4) pitched the second-ever perfect game in UNLV history, striking out eight of 15 batters faced in UNLV’s 8-0 five-inning run rule of UNR on March 19. It was Bressler’s 18th career shutout.
Homers on range
With 30 games played and 22 games remaining, senior second baseman April Visser is on pace to break UNLV’s single-season home run record. Visser has slugged 11 home runs, second most in the Mountain West Conference. UNLV’s single-season home run record was set by Marissa Nichols, who hit 18 in 2005.
Early favorites
UNLV is predicted to top the Mountain West, according to preseason polling of the conference’s coaches. The Rebels tied with San Diego State in overall predicted-order-of-finish points, but carried the most first-place votes with five. UNLV’s last conference championship came in 1995 as a member of the Big West. That year, the Rebels reached the Women’s College World Series.
Milestone Win
UNLV head coach Kristie Fox reached 250 career victories in the Rebels’ season-opening win versus BYU. Fox has 139 victories in five seasons at UNLV following 134 wins in five years at the helm at UT-Arlington.
Choice fielders
UNLV has been the conference’s leading team in field percentage each of the last four seasons and owns the first, second and fourth best single seasons.
UNLV’s currently carries a .973 fielding percentage.
The Rebels’ .977 fielding percentage in 2021 was second only to their record-setting .979 mark in 2019.
UNLV’s defense was errorless through the weekend at the Bear Down Fiesta and had an error-free streak of 41 consecutive innings dating back to the seventh versus Washington on March 5 through the third inning against UNR on March 20.
Been caught stealing
So far in 2022, UNLV has thrown out seven runners stealing (21 percent).
The Rebels caught opponents stealing base 15 times last season, leading all Mountain West teams.
UNLV also matched a single-season record by recording 12 out stealing in conference play in 2021 (12, San Diego State, 2007).