Nevada softball competed in a five-game series this last weekend, which took place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Pack dropped all five of their games over the team’s three-day stint abroad. 

Brigham Young University and Oklahoma, Feb. 6

The Pack opened the first day of the series versus Brigham Young University and the University of Oklahoma. 

Freshman Blake Craft made her first collegiate start in the pitching circle and performed well, allowing only two earned runs and striking out three batters. Senior Sierra Mello returned after a strong junior year and continued to impress in her first two games. Mello hit a combined .600 in addition to a stand-up triple, an RBI and a run scored. 

The Pack started the first game strong and was able to hold the BYU Cougars 0-0 until the second inning when two infield errors allowed two runs. The score remained 2-0 until the top of the fifth when right fielder Jessica Sellers smashed a double that put her in scoring position.

Center fielder Sadaria McAlister singled and drove McAlister in, scoring the Pack’s only point. Nevada was able to hold BYU 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth when the Cougars scored four runs. Nevada dropped the first game of the series, 6-1. 

The second game of the series didn’t fare much better for Nevada. The Pack fought hard to even out their record with a triple from Mello and a double from Mele Tausinga. However, the University of Oklahoma Sooners took an early lead in the first inning, leaving the Wolf Pack behind 2-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Pack scored on a single from Mello, followed by an RBI double hit by Tausinga. OU responded by scoring two runs in the top of the third. Nevada returned again, scoring in the bottom of the bottom.

The Pack held Oklahoma at 4-2 until the top of the sixth, when the Sooners scored five runs. Nevada tried to fight back but fell short, racking up only one more run in the bottom of the same inning. The final score was 9-3 in favor of Oklahoma. 

Long Beach State University and Utah Valley University, Feb. 7

Nevada continued the second day of the series by playing Long Beach and Utah Valley.

The Pack struggled offensively and defensively in the third game of the series. Nevada recorded only one hit and a total of seven errors. Craft started in the circle again but was retired by Julia Jensen in the second inning.

Jensen pitched four innings before being retired to Jana Pope. A total of 14 hits and three earned runs were allowed by the Pack’s pitching rotation. 

Nevada scored in the top of the first inning, which was followed by a single point from Long Beach in the bottom of the inning. Long Beach attacked again in the second, scoring three more runs. The Pack was able to hold LBSU 4-1 until the bottom of the fifth, when Long Beach scored a single run. 

Nevada responded in the top of the sixth inning, making the score 2-5. However, Long Beach broke the game open in the bottom of the same inning, scoring four more runs that the Pack could not recover from. 

The Nevada Wolf Pack lost their third game of the series, 2-9.

Kendall Fritz started in the circle for Nevada’s fourth game of the series versus Utah Valley. Fritz pitched five innings before being retired by Craft. 

Game four looked promising with Nevada taking an early 2-0 lead against Utah Valley in the bottom of the first inning. Kenzi Goins hit an RBI single and was sent home by Mele Tausing’s triple to right field. 

The Pack continued to excel, tacking on another point in the bottom of the third with a single by Charli McLendon. Nevada led Valley Utah 3-0 until the fifth inning, when the Wolverines scored a single point.

The sixth inning proved to be the turning point of the game, with Utah Valley making a comeback and scoring four runs, now leading Nevada 5-3. 

Nevada was unable to come back in the final innings, taking their fourth loss of the series, 5-3. 

University of Oregon, Feb. 8

The Wolf Pack finished out the series in Mexico with a 1-0 loss against the University of Oregon.

Fritz started the game in the circle pitching two innings, allowing just one hit and one unearned run. Fritz was retired by Jenson in the third. Jenson pitched until the fifth inning, not allowing one run or hit. Craft retired Jenson and finished out the game, allowing one hit and no runs. 

Nevada swung hard with Mello hitting a leadoff single. Sadaria McAlister dealt out a ground ball, putting two on base with no outs. Oregon answered with quick outs to end the threat. 

The Oregon Ducks scored a single run in the second inning on an RBI groundout following an infield error. 

The Pack held Oregon 1-0 for the remainder of the game, but was unable to put one on the board, leading to their fifth loss of the series. 

Up next for the Wolf Pack is the annual Libby Matson tournament in Stockton, Calif. on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15 and 16. 

Hailey Fleming can be reached at rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @SagebrushSports.