The Nevada Wolf Pack softball team played the Boise State Broncos this past week at Hixson Park. The Wolf Pack currently sit at 19-19, 8-7 MWC. The Broncos sit at 29-13, 8-5 MWC. Below is a game-by-game recap of the three-game series.
Friday, April 20, 2018
Nevada started the game off strong as they scored five runs through three innings. In the bottom of the second inning, the Wolf Pack scored four runs off of erratic plays by the Broncos defense as Haley Burda scored on a passed ball by Boise State. Erica Hansen drove in two runs and advanced to second on an error by the defense. Kenzi Goins grounded out to second base but the Broncos were unable to stop Hansen from running home.
The Wolf Pack starting pitcher Amanda Geil had a solid first three innings, allowing only one run via an RBI single by Jessica McKay. However, in the fourth inning, she gave up three runs and was replaced by Kali Sargent after allowing three runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Sargent was able to briefly stop the bleeding as the Wolf Pack held on to the lead until the seventh inning where Sargent allowed one earned run as the Broncos’ Makenzie Sullivan singled up the middle to drive home the tying run.
In extra innings, the Broncos scored off of an Alison Seng single to center field that drove home a run to take the lead. Boise State was able to fend off the Wolf Pack in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory
Saturday, April 21, 2018
In the second game of the series, the Broncos offense was still hot as the previous day as they scored 10 runs on the day. Boise State scored three runs in the third and fourth inning. McKay hit a single up the middle but an error by the Nevada defense allowed an unearned baserunner to reach home.
In the fourth inning, Sullivan homered to left center field, driving home base runner Seng to stretch the lead to 3-0 Boise State. The Wolf Pack scored on a home run to right field by Lauren Gutierrez to cut the deficit to two runs.
Later on in the sixth inning, with the Wolf Pack down two runs, Gutierrez came up big once again as she had a two-RBI hit up the middle that drove home Burda and freshman outfielder Jessica Sellers.
However, in the eighth inning, the Broncos scored four runs capped by a McKay double that drove home two runs en route to a Broncos 10-6 victory.
Gutierrez led the Wolf Pack offense as she had three hits, three RBIs and drew one walk. Burda had two hits on the day and the only other player that had a hit was second baseman Kwynn Warner who had one hit in five plate appearances.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
In the final game of the series, the Wolf Pack was unable to get off to a fast start as the Broncos came out of the game firing with a Rebekah Cervantes double to right center field as she drove in the first run of the game.
In the third inning, Cervantes scored off of a Justene Molina double that drove in another run as the Boise State Broncos took a 2-0 lead.
Nevada answered back in the bottom of the third inning as Warner hit a ball that forced a fielder’s choice that brought home Burda. In the following at-bat, Sadaria Mcalister reached home after Hansen doubled. Hansen tried to go for an inside the park home run but she was thrown out at home plate.
In the fourth inning, Boise State scored three runs and tacked on another run in the fifth inning to give them an 8-4 victory, completing the series sweep. The Wolf Pack travel to Las Vegas on Friday to take on the Rebels for a three-game series and for some critical Governor’s Series points.
