ABOUT NEVADA
The Wolf Pack softball team is heading towards the regular-season homestretch of the toughest schedules in school history and so far, so good. Through 46 games, Nevada is 32-14 with eight wins over five ranked opponents. That includes a historic 1-0 upset over then-No. 1 Arizona at the Kajikawa Classic hosted by Arizona State, a series win (2-of-3) at then-No. 10 Fresno State and last weekend’s historic sweep over then-No. 15 Hawai`i.
The Wolf Pack is coming off the sweep over Hawai`i and has won four straight games heading into this weekend. Nevada also has the regining Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week in Kym Silagyi.
Nevada returned the bulk of last year’s team that went 28-31 overall and came within a game of making it to its second-straight NCAA Tournament. Nevada brought back 15 letterwinners, all eight starters and its top two pitchers from last year’s team. Senior pitcher Jordan McPherson was named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year in the Western Athletic Conference this season. She was joined on the All-WAC Preseason Team by junior outfielder Brittany Puzey, who was an All-West Region selection in 2007. The Pack added four freshmen to the mix this year and the other newcomer is senior pitcher Richelle Villescas, a transfer from Temple. The Pack is coached by Michelle Gardner in her sixth year overall and at Nevada.
ABOUT THIS WEEKEND
The University of Nevada continues the 2008 campaign with a Western Athletic Conference series as Louisiana Tech comes to Christina M. Hixson Park. The Wolf Pack and the Lady Techsters will play a doubleheader on Friday and finish up the series with a single game on Saturday. First pitch both days is at 2 p.m.
Live Stats of all three games will be available on the Internet at www.nevadawolfpack.com.
Tickets are $7 per day. Discounted tickets of $4 are available for children (12 and under) and seniors (65 and older).
SENIOR DAY
Five Wolf Pack seniors will be playing their final conference home games this weekend. Infielder Kristin Stith, outfielders Tyler Schafer and Vanessa Briones, and pitchers Jordan McPherson and Richelle Villescas will play their final games at Hixson Park next week against UNLV, but they will be honored with Senior Day on Saturday prior to the final game against Louisiana Tech. The five seniors have played a major part in building Wolf Pack softball into a a nationally ranked program. Combined, they have appeared in 608 games heading into this weekend’s series.
SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH
Louisiana Tech enters the series with a 29-23 overall mark and a 7-7 record in WAC play. The Lady Techsters have won five games in a row heading into this weekend’s three-game series, including a three-game sweep last weekeend against Utah State. This weekend’s games will conclude WAC play for Louisiana Tech.
The Lady Techsters’ play has surprised some, only in the sense that they were picked for last in the WAC preseason coaches poll. They enter the week tied for fourth in the league, just four games out of first place. They are coached by Sarah Dawson, who has a record of 130-204 in five-plus years overall and at the school. Offensively, Tech is paced by Amberly Waits, who is batting .413 on the year and .419 in conference play. She has seven home runs and 38 RBI on the year. In the circle, Krissi Oliver is the primary starter with a 5-4 record and a 2.49 earned-run average in more than 152 innings so far this season.
Nevada leads the all-time series between the teams 14-4. Last year, Nevada swept the season series with the Lady Techsters, winning three games in Ruston, La., and winning again in the WAC Tournaments.
WOLF PACK ON TOP OF WAC STANDINGS
Nevada has been stellar in Western Athletic Conference play as the Wolf Pack leads the WAC with a 10-2 record. The Wolf Pack has six WAC games remaining three against Louisiana Tech and three against San Jose State. The 10 wins are the most Nevada has won in the WAC in years that the league has played an 18-game conference schedule. Nevada won 13 games in 2004 when the WAC had a 24-game conference schedule.
Nevada leads the WAC in hitting with a .321 average. The Wolf Pack is second in team pitching with a 1.93 earned-run mark. Individually, Vanessa Briones is second in the WAC in hitting with a .433 average but teammate Danielle Patrick is on her heels with a .429 mark. Sophomore Katie Holverson is fourth in pitching with a 1.74 ERA in the WAC. She has not lost a WAC game and sports a 6-0 record in the league.
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