From LBSU reports

Long Beach State (17-10) dropped a 4-2 decision to UNLV Saturday morning at the National Invitational Softball Tournament in San Jose.

Sophomore Brooke Turner fell to 9-5 on the season as she allowed three runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings of work. Freshman Taylor Petty came in to relieve Turner in the fourth, giving up one run while scattering three hits and striking out three.

Senior Jennifer Griffin led the 49er attack, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Ashley Levine, meanwhile, connected for her first career home run.

UNLV (19-8), which is led by former long-time 49er head coach Pete Manarino, continued its hot streak, winning its sixth straight and 14th out of its last 15 games. Stephanie Bregante picked up the victory for the Rebels as she held the 49ers hitless over the first four innings.

The Rebels took an early lead in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run blast off the bat of Jaci Hull and added one more in the fourth to go up 3-0.

Levine broke up Bregante’s no-hitter and got Long Beach State on the board in the fifth, leading off the inning with a solo shot over the left field fence. The Beach went on to load the bases with one out and Griffin delivered an RBI single to bring LBSU within one, but Jessica O’Connor was able to come in and retire Kristen Pocock and Brandy Reyes to cut the 49er rally short.

UNLV tacked on an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning as Kendall Fearn homered.

LBSU put runners in scoring position in each of the last two innings, but was unable to push any runs across.