RENO, Nev. Make it 24 straight, and counting, wins at home for the Nevada softball team. More importantly, make it a 2-0 start to Western Athletic Conference play.
The Wolf Pack picked up some timely hits and got an outstanding pitching performance from its two hurlers as Nevada swept a WAC-opening doubleheader from New Mexico State on Saturday at Hixson Park. Nevada won the first game 4-3 and took the second 3-2.
With the wins, Nevada ran its home winning streak to 24 straight victories dating back to the 2007 season. The Pack has won 10 straight games overall and 12 straight WAC regular season games. Nevada is now 22-9 overall.
New Mexico State fell to 19-12 and 0-2 in the WAC.
The teams will conclude the three-game series Sunday. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
Katie Holverson (13-6) got the victories in both games a complete-game effort in game one and two innings of shutout relief in game two. Sophomore shortstop Danielle Patrick recorded her second game-winning RBI in a span of three games with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth that broke a 2-2 tie.
In the first game, Holverson pitched a complete game and the Pack got two hits each from Noelle Micka, Brittany Puzey and Sam Bias. Puzey’s first hit was the biggest, however, a three-run blast in the third inning that proved to be the difference in the game.
New Mexico State got a run in the first without a hit as the Aggies scored on a walk, an error and a double steal
But Nevada came back in the bottom of the second as junior Sam Bias hit an RBI single after Britton Murdock and Kelsey Starr walked to lead off the inning. But Nevada could not get any more across and left two runners stranded.
The Wolf Pack took the lead in the bottom of the third inning with one mighty swing of the bat by Brittany Puzey. The senior hit her 29th career home run a three-run shot to dead center field to put Nevada up 4-1.
Holverson did not allow a hit until there was one out in the fourth inning and cruised until the sixth inning. Tiare Jennings, the WAC’s leading hitter entering the day, reached on an error. Hoku Nahara then hit a homer to center fielder to cut Nevada’s lead to 4-3.
Holverson got herself in a bit of a jam in the seventh as she walked the leadoff batter. An out and a stole base later, the Aggies had the potential tying run on second base with one down. But she struck out the next batter and induced a ground ball comebacker to end the game
In game two, the Aggies jumped out with a pair of runs in the first inning on three hits.
Nevada got one back in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Bias was hit by a pitch. She stole second and scored on an RBI single from Michelle Beach.
The Pack tied it in the fifth as Kym Silagyi slapped a triple into the gap in left-center and scored as the throw in from the outfield went into the NMSU dugout.
Nevada freshman Mallary Darby went five strong innings, yielding just four hits and the two runs in the first inning. Holverson came on in the sixth and shut down the Aggies in the top of the frame.
In the bottom of the sixth, Bias slammed a leadoff double to centerfield. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Sarah Hunt. After Beach walked, Patrick hit a line drive into center to plate Bias and put Nevada up for good.
In the top of the seventh, the Aggies had a runner on first with one out. But Holverson got Kylie Randall to line out to Bias at third and she fired to first to double off the runner and end the game.
