UNLV roundup: Women’s tennis team tops Texas Tech at regional

UNLV freshman Connie Li rebounded from a 6-3 tiebreaker deficit to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7) in the decisive match, lifting the Rebels past 26th-ranked Texas Tech 4-3 in the first round of an NCAA women’s tennis regional Saturday in Los Angeles.

Aiwen Zhu upset 22nd-ranked Felicity Maltby 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, and En-Pei Huang and Jovana Kenic also won in singles for the Rebels (18-6), who won their ninth straight match and won an opening NCAA match for the first time in six years.

Huang won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3 singles, and Kenic won 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5 singles. Anna Bogoslavets lost a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 decision at No. 4 singles.

Huang and Zhu led 4-2 in their match at No. 1 doubles when the Red Raiders (17-9) had clinched the doubles point with wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 slots.

Zhu improved to 29-7 as a senior and has won 16 of her past 18 singles matches dating to February.

The Rebels advanced to the second round of NCAA regionals for the fourth time in 13 trips and first since 2013. They next face No. 13 Southern California (19-7) at 1 p.m. Sunday, with an NCAA super regional berth at stake.

The Trojans won 4-0 over Illinois State (20-7) on Saturday.

BASEBALL

At Houston, Lael Lockhart Jr. pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings for Houston, which made two first-inning runs stand up in a 2-0 victory over the Rebels.

Derrick Cherry drove in the first run on a fielder’s choice, and Rey Fuentes III hit a two-out RBI single.

Lockhart (4-5) shut out UNLV (25-22) on five hits and two walks and struck out five. Devon Roedahl struck out three and walked one over the final 1 1/3 innings to record his fourth save.

Both runs were scored against Ryan Hare (7-3), who gave up three hits and two walks over two innings. Donavon McCrystal pitched the third for the Rebels, and Cameron Jabara held the Cougars (28-18) to two hits over the final five innings, striking out four.

Each team totaled five hits, neither team had an extra-base hit, and each team had one player with multiple hits. Tyler Bielamowicz went 2-for-2 for Houston, and Austin Pfeifer went 2-for-3 for UNLV.

SOFTBALL

At Reno, Sadaria McAlister went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to back Kali Sargent, who held the Rebels to one hit over five innings in UNR’s 8-0 victory.

Sargent (6-8) issued one walk and struck out four in a game shortened to five innings, marking the second time UNLV (32-14, 10-9 Mountain West) has lost a run-rule-shortened game in Kristie Fox’s two seasons as coach.

Justine Federe’s first-inning single was the lone hit for the Rebels, who were outhit 9-1.

Sierra Mello, Kwynn Warner, Danielle Lew, Kenzi Goins and Haley Burda each had a single, an RBI and a run for the Wolf Pack (26-22, 10-10).

UNLV starter Charlie Masterson (5-3) allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks and struck out four over three innings.