LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Feb. 17, 2001)--The Loyola Marymount University softball team (9-3) won both games Saturday at the UNLV Softball Classic in Las Vegas, defeating Southern Utah University, 4-1 and 20th ranked University of Oregon, 7-4.

In both games, the Lions jumped to first inning leads and did not look back in posting their second win of the season over a ranked opponent (Long Beach State).

In the day's opener against Southern Utah, senior second baseman Laura Eckley stroked a ground rule double and scored on senior shortstop Kim Bissett's single to center. The Lions added three more runs in the third. Bissett's sacrifice fly scored senior left fielder Anna Trauernicht. Sophomore third baseman Jamie Lyons singled home Eckley and later scored herself on an error by the Thunderbirds first baseman.

Freshman Sami Strinz earned a complete-game win, upping her record to 4-2.Strinz limited Southern Utah to five hits and struck out eight.

Against Oregon, the Lions scored two runs in the first inning, four in the second and one in the third, to jump out to a 7-0 lead. Trauernicht hit the first pitch of the game for a ground-rule double and stole second before scoring on junior center fielder Christy Cerecedes' single to left. Lyons singled to center, scoring Cerecedes.

In the second inning, singles by sophomore first baseman Erin Hogan and Eckley and an intentional pass to Cerecedes set the stage for a two-run single by Bissett. After Lyons drew a walk, junior pitcher Corianne Rogalsky doubled off the right field fence, scoring Cerecedes and Bissett. Strinz, who hails from Keizer, Oregon, ended the Lions' scoring with a third-inning home run, her second of the season.

Rogalsky improved her record to 5-1, striking out seven in 5-2/3 innings. Junior Jennifer Heliotes earned her first save of the year, retiring all four batters she faced.

The Lions, now 2-2 in the UNLV Classic, close out their tournament action Sunday at 10 a.m. against the University of Wisconsin Badgers.