RENO, Nev. - Sophomore infielder Kelsey Starr hit a grand slam to lead the University of Nevada softball team to a 7-2 Western Athletic Conference victory over Utah State on Saturday afternoon at the Christina M. Hixson Park.
With the win, Nevada completed the series sweep over Utah State and improved to 23-11 overall and 3-0 in WAC play, while Utah State fell to 3-17 overall and 0-3 in conference action.
The Wolf Pack scored the game’s first run when sophomore Sam Bias doubled to score junior Kim Silagyi. Nevada added four runs in the third inning when Starr hit her fourth home run of the year and tacked on two more in the fourth inning. Freshman catcher Noelle Micka doubled to score senior centerfielder Tyler Schaefer, while after a sacrifice by junior leftfielder Brittany Puzey, freshman rightfielder Britton Murdock hit a single to knock in Micka and score Nevada’s final run of the ballgame.
Senior Jordan McPherson allowed just two hits and no runs in four innings to earn the victory and improve to 9-7 on the season, while senior Richelle Villescas and sophomore Katie Holverson appeared in relief.
Starr led the team with four runs batted in, while Bias went 2-of-3 from the plate with one RBI in the game.
Utah State scored its only two runs of the game in the fifth inning on a two-RBI double by shortstop Kelley Kaneshiro.
The Wolf Pack returns to the road next week, traveling to El Paso, Texas, for a doubleheader with UTEP on Thursday, March 27 and continuing WAC play with three games at New Mexico State on Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30.
