Thursday, April 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
Kim Rondina achieved redemption, and in the process helped lift the UNLV softball team out of its recent doldrums.
Rondina, whose earlier error allowed two Cal State Fullerton runs to score, hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run fifth inning as the Rebels rallied for a 5-4 victory Wednesday at Rebel Diamond. The win completed a sweep for the Rebels, who also captured the first game by a 3-1 count in their final home action of the season.
The two triumphs lifted No. 11 UNLV into a virtual second-place tie with ninth-ranked Fullerton in the Big West Conference race. The Rebels are now 32-17, 15-9 in league play, while the Titans fell to 34-19 and 12-8.
"These were really important games because we haven't been playing well lately and Fullerton is ranked ahead of us," Rondina said. "This was also a good way to send our seniors off."
Fullerton led 4-0 heading into the fifth before UNLV put together its two-out rally against Titan starter Liza Brown. Amy Alves doubled home a pair of runs, and Julie Crandall singled for another RBI. Rondina then sent Brown's 2-2 offering over the fence in left for what proved to be the game-winner.
"I had been seeing both pitchers pretty well all day, but I felt a little pressure because I had made some mistakes in the field," said the junior shortstop. "I just waited for my pitch. I knew she was going to come after me because she didn't want to put another person on base, so I waited on it and sent it over."
UNLV coach Shan McDonald said Rondina passed a test of character with flying colors, rising to the occasion in style after committing the miscue.
"There's not much that can make you feel worse than missing a routine ground ball with two outs," she said. "You know she was frustrated, but she kept her head up and didn't quit. That's what counts, not the fact that the ball went through your legs, but how you react after that."
The Rebels have eight games remaining on its schedule, and McDonald said Wednesday's sweep should go a long way towards building momentum for the stretch drive and beyond.
"We're on a little bit of a climb now," McDonald said. "It's not been a case of lack of talent, it's been more a lack of experience standing up to a challenge. I think they did a very good job of that today. When they start to believe in who they really are things will fall into place for them.
"We're as good a ball club as we've ever been. I hope they took one of the first steps towards believing that today."
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