SAN JOSE, Calif. The Nevada softball team moved one step closer towards its first-ever Western Athletic Conference regular season title on Friday.
The Wolf Pack took a 4-1 victory in nine innings over San Jose State at SJSU Field on Friday, cutting the team’s magic number to one game. Nevada improved to 38-14 overall and 14-3 in WAC play. San Jose State fell to 25-30 and 5-10 in the WAC.
A number of notable events occurred in the game and with the Wolf Pack earning the victory:
- Nevada tied the school record for wins in a season with 38 (2004 team went 38-28).
- Nevada broke school record for WAC wins in a season (2004 team won 13 games when the WAC played a 24-schedule instead of the current 18-game league slate).
- Freshman catcher Noelle Micka went 2-for-5 and broke the school’s single-season record for hits. She now has 70 hits on the year. She passed Jiliane Hartfiel, who has 69 in 2004.
- Nevada tied the school record for longest win streak at 10 straight games.
- Freshman Britton Murdock broke the school record for walks in a season with 29. She passed Cindy Elkins, who drew 28 free passes in 2006.
- Junior Brittany Puzey extended her hitting streak to 10 straight games. It is the third longest streak on the team this season.
Nevada struck first with a single run in the first inning as Puzey doubled and scored on Sam Bias’ single. But the Spartans tied it in the second inning and the teams then played scoreless ball until the ninth.
Nevada took a 2-1 lead when Sam Bias scored on a ground ball by Kym Silagyi. Later in the inning, Micka singled scoring Tyler Schafer. Kristin Stith also scored on the play on an error by the right-fielder.
Nevada started Katie Holverson went the distance, scattering seven hits and yielding just one run. She did not walk a batter and she struck out 10 as she improved to 19-5 on the year and 8-0 in WAC games.
The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday to close out the regular season. Nevada needs one more victory or a Fresno State loss to clinch the WAC title and the No. 1 seed in next week’s WAC Tournament.
NOTES: Nevada streak of at least one home run in nine streak games came to an end ... Micka now has 23 multiple-hit games, which leads the WAC ... Holverson fanned 10 in the game, one off her career-best of 11.
