UNLV roundup: Women’s tennis team breezes into league final

The top-seeded UNLV women’s tennis team will play in the Mountain West Championship final for the fourth straight year after blanking fifth-seeded Wyoming 4-0 in a semifinal Friday in San Diego.

Aiwen Zhu and En-Pei Huang each won in singles and teamed for a doubles victory for the Rebels (16-6), who won their seventh straight match, six via shutout, and improved to 7-0 against league opponents.

They next play third-seeded San Diego State (15-9), which posted a 4-2 win over second-seeded Air Force (22-3) in the other semifinal, at 11 a.m. Saturday. UNLV beat the Aztecs 4-3 in a regular-season meeting on April 13.

Zhu won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles, Huang won 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 singles, and they combined for a 6-4 victory at No. 1 doubles.

Izumi Asano won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 singles, and Connie Li and Samantha Li teamed for a 7-5 win at No. 2 doubles.

MEN’S GOLF

At Tucson, Ariz., senior Harry Hall was one shot out of the individual lead, and the three-time defending champion Rebels were three shots back in the team competition after the first round of the three-round Mountain West Championship.

Hall shot 4-under-par 68, and UNLV was tied for fifth with Fresno State at 6-under 282. New Mexico and Colorado State were tied for the lead at 279, with Boise State next at 280 and San Diego State at 281 in the 11-team field.

New Mexico senior Sean Carlon and Fresno State senior Alex Lee were tied atop the leaderboard at 5-under 67 in the 55-player field.

Also for the Rebels, sophomore Jack Trent was tied for 13th at 2-under 70, sophomore J.J. Gresco was tied for 20th at 71, and freshman David Rauch and junior Justin Kim were tied for 34th at 73.

SOFTBALL

At Eller Media Stadium, Samantha Diaz hit a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly to back Jenny Bressler, who pitched a two-hit shutout, leading the Rebels to a 6-0 win over California Baptist in the first game of a nonconference doubleheader.

In the second game, Reina Bondi hit an RBI triple in the fifth inning and a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth, keying UNLV’s 6-4 victory.

Bressler (19-5) issued three walks and struck out five in the opener. The freshman entered in relief of starter Charlie Masterson in the nightcap and blanked the Lancers (21-29) on one hit and no walks and struck out three over the final 2 1/3 innings.

Denise Armendariz went 2-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice fly, Lauren Tycksen went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Myranda Bueno went 1-for-2 and scored twice in the opener for the Rebels (30-13), who held an 8-2 edge in hits.

In the second game, Diaz, Bueno and Tycksen each had two of UNLV’s 11 hits, with Bueno driving in two runs. Masterson allowed four runs, two earned, on four hits and one walk and struck out four over 4 2/3 innings.

Molly Kolander went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, Caitlyn Lloyd went 2-for-3 with a double, and Halle Rosario hit a solo home run in the second game for Cal Baptist, which totaled seven hits.

BASEBALL

At Wilson Stadium, Mike Jarvis hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and Casey Schmitt went 5-for-5 with two homers and three RBIs to power San Diego State to an 11-4 win over the Rebels.

Jarvis’ slam and a leadoff home run by Schmitt came in a six-run sixth inning that put the Aztecs (26-17, 11-7 Mountain West) up 8-1.

Julian Escobedo went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs for San Diego State, which held a 15-13 edge in hits in its fourth straight win.

Aztecs starter Michael Paredes (2-2) held UNLV (23-20, 10-12) to one run on six hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out two.

Grant Robbins went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBIs, Edarian Williams went 4-for-4, and James Gamble and Seth Mullis each went 2-for-4 for the Rebels, who lost their third in a row.

UNLV starter Cameron Jabara (1-5) allowed eight runs on 11 hits and one walk and struck out three over 5 1/3 innings.

TRACK AND FIELD

At Irvine, Calif., Jaela Williams placed third among collegiate competitors and sixth overall in the long jump on the first day of the three-day Steve Scott Invitational.

Williams, one of six Rebels competing in the long jump in a field of 45 participants, registered a mark of 19 feet, 9 inches. Jonon Young was next for UNLV at 18 feet, 11.75 inches, which was good for 10th place among collegiate competitors and 15th overall.

Mackenna Howard was sixth against collegiate competitors and ninth overall in the hammer throw (173 feet, 10 inches) to lead four Rebels in the event.