Photo by Alexa Solis /Nevada Sagebrush
By Brandon Fuhs
Five games in six days, was no problem for Nevada, who went 3-2 during the stretch.
The games began with a two-game homestand against Grand Canyon, which the Wolf Pack split. It started with a 4-0 loss on Monday before bouncing back to win 3-2 in walk-off fashion Tuesday. The Wolf Pack (15-14, 8-7 MW) then took two of three games on the road against conference foe San Jose State.
Starting pitcher Michael Fain set that tempo against Grand Canyon (16-14, 6-3 WAC) on Monday, as he dominated the zone with his fastball all game.
“I just came in trying to throw as many strikes as I could and trying to keep the ball down,” Fain said. “I just kept throwing strikes to let them put it in play so I can rely on the defense to make plays behind me.”
Fain went into the eighth inning allowing just four hits and gave up no runs, but Fain couldn’t make it out of the eighth. After striking out the first batter of the inning, back-to-back singles put runners on the corners and Barry Timko took the mound for Nevada.
After Timko walked the first batter to load the bases, a two-run single by the Lopes broke the 0-0 tie. Grand Canyon scored one more in the inning to take a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. Nevada couldn’t get anything started in the eighth or the ninth as Grand Canyon took game one.
“We got ahead of ourselves and tried to do too much at times,” Austin Bylar said. “We just have to remember to keep the right approach going forward.”
Shortstop Tyler Hunt took the right approach Tuesday, going 2-for-2 with three walks, one run scored, and the game-winning RBI.
Grand Canyon jumped to an early two-run lead after scoring a run in each of the first two innings off starting pitcher Tyler Wells. Nevada responded with two runs in the third, with Scott Kaplan and Hunt drawing walks to start the inning. After advancing to second and third on a groundout, catcher Jordan Devencenzi grounded out to short to bring Kaplan home. With two outs and Hunt at third, Bylar singled to tie the game at 2.
Alexa Solis /Nevada Sagebrush
The Wolf Pack has been a force to be
reckoned with while playing at Peccole Park,
where Nevada is 7-2. That’s good news
for the Wolf Pack who open a four-game
homestand against Santa Clara and San
Diego State this week.
The game was still 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, as the bullpen for Nevada shut down the Lopes, throwing seven innings of shutout play while scattering five hits.
Pinch-hitter Trenton Brooks led off the ninth with a walk for Nevada, but the momentum didn’t last long. Back to back pop outs to the catcher on sacrifice bunt attempts left Nevada with two outs and Brooks still on first. Kaplan singled to center advancing Brooks to second and bringing Hunt to the plate.
Hunt battled his last at-bat, working a 1-2 count to a 3-2 count before hitting a bomb over the center fielder’s head as the helmets came off and the team ran on the field.
“I know how comfortable I am with two strikes,” Hunt said. “I knew I had to wait for my pitch, but we practice working in and out so I knew I need to swing at anything close. Luckily I got one I could square up.”
After winning the road series against San Jose State later in the week, the Wolf Pack jumped to fourth place in the conference standings.
Nevada hosts Santa Clara (13-18, 4-5 WAC) Tuesday, and San Diego State (24-8, 10-5 MW) for a three-game series this weekend. The Wolf Pack beat Santa Clara 4-1 in February, while the Aztecs took the series 2-1 when Nevada visited earlier this season.
Brandon Fuhs can be reached at euribe@sagebrush.unr.edu.