by STOCKTON, Calif. – The Nevada softball team picked up two wins on the second day of the Libby Matson tournament. The Pack moves to 6-5 after a 10-4 win over California Baptist and a five inning, 10-0 win over host team Pacific.
Junior Sierra Mello had arguably the best day of the season. She was 6-of-7 with three runs, three RBI and two walks in the two games combined. She was not alone in efficiency however, Kenzi Goins went 4-of-7 with a home run, double, six RBI and eight total bases.
The team combined for 20 runs on 24 hits with 20 RBI and drew seven walks. Three pitchers saw action in the two games and combined for 11 strikeouts and seven hits.
Nevada 10, CBU 4
The Pack got off to a hot start putting up three runs in the first inning but the Lancers responded in the bottom with a run of their own to keep the difference to just two runs. Nevada broke the game open in the top of the fourth with four more runs but CBU strung together two walks, a sac fly and then two singles to give them two runs back. Nevada up 8-3. With the bases loaded, Julia Jensen entered the circle and walked a run in before striking the next two batters out to get out of the inning.
With a 8-4 lead Nevada just needed to hold on but decided to add two insurance runs in the top of the seventh to win 10-4.
Nevada 10, Pacific 0
Kali Sargent (Washoe Tribe) got the start in the circle and pitched a five inning, two hit shutout in the second game of the day. The senior tallied six strikeouts with zero walks and only faced 16 batters in the contest.
The entire game was held in the second inning where the Nevada bats dominated. It started with Kwynn Warner getting put on first after getting hit by a pitch and then Alyssa Mendez reached on a Pacific fielding error to put two on with no outs. Mendez stole second and Haley Burda walked to load the bases.
With no outs in the second inning, a bases loaded single from Lauren Gutierrez scored the first run and it was a domino effect from then on. Three straight singles later and the Pack was up 4-0. Goins knocked a two RBI single followed by another single and then a bases clearing homer courtesy of freshman Dallas Millwood extended the Nevada lead.
Two more runs crossed home plate before Pacific could get out of the inning, but the damage had been done, Nevada led 10-0.
Pacific got their first hit in the fourth inning a single but the next batter lined into a double play and ended their threat of response. The game ended on a Sargent strikeout.
Had an idea for an interesting story to be published. Two Nevada Native’s playing D1 softball (Kali Sargent, University of Nevada, Reno and Alyssa Vazquez, Cal State University, Northridge) who are also cousins from Nevada. They are set to play March 8, 2019 in San Jose, Ca.