Robinson leading UNLV turnaround

No one would have blamed Christie Robinson had she decided to quit playing softball after her freshman season.

As an unprecedented run of injuries sucked the life out of the UNLV lineup last year, the 5-foot-8-inch pitcher was left to acclimate to a new level of competition while at the same time trying to carry a wounded team. She struggled to a 10-12 record with a 3.26 ERA -- not the numbers she was accustomed to as a prep standout just a year earlier.

Even so, Robinson hung on, and the lessons learned in that tough first season are beginning to pay dividends.

"I got in pretty much every situation I could have been in last year," said the sophomore right-hander from Clinton, Wash. "I was a freshman and I had the mentality of a freshman. But I made the best of it and this year looks like a better season."

Indeed, it does. The Rebels, who hobbled to a 26-37 record in 2006, again are relying on Robinson. But this time, it's for all the right reasons.

"Christie has become a staple for us in the circle," said fourth-year Rebels coach Lonni Alameda, whose team is off to a 24-16 start this year. "She got those opportunities during her freshman year and she has capitalized on that."

Robinson is 10-4 with a 1.89 ERA against competition that has included several of the nation's top teams.

"Last year made me a better pitcher," said Robinson, who as a prep player led South Whidbey High School to four conference championships and three Washington state tournament appearances. "I'm not trying to do more than I can do anymore. I've learned that you just can't leave pitches hanging and you've got to hit your spots."

But Robinson also learned from studying other great players.

"I think about (the San Diego Padres') Greg Maddux," she said. "He doesn't have the best speed, but he hits his spots."

True, Robinson is not a strikeout pitcher, but that doesn't bother Alameda a bit.

"Christie can mix speeds," the coach said. "And she gets a lot of ground balls."

Last year, the Rebels committed a league-leading 128 errors, many of them on infield grounders. This year, however, the ground balls are producing key outs.

"You can just see it," Robinson said. "The infield is more confident. I don't get a lot of strikeouts, but everyone behind me is making the plays."

Also easing her mind is the fact that Alameda has several other quality pitchers on the staff this year.

"We do have some other awesome pitchers," Robinson said. "So I feel much less pressure and I know I don't have to pitch a full game."

Robinson figures to play a key role this week as UNLV opens Mountain West Conference play at home Thursday against Utah.

"Our conference is better than it has been in the past," said Robinson, whose team went 8-12 in league play last season to finish a disappointing fourth. "But we're going in prepared. We've played a lot of tough teams and I think we're better because of it."

Alameda agreed.

"We played a tough pre-conference schedule," she said. "We're excited about where we're at as a team. We've set goals, and we definitely want to win the championship."

• NOTE -- The Rebels will host the fourth Strike Out Cancer Day on Saturday. The event will take place at Eller Media Stadium and coincide with the team's 2 p.m. conference game against Brigham Young. Fundraising proceeds will benefit the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation.