TEMPE, Ariz. – The Nevada softball team split a pair of games at the season-opening Kajikawa Classic.
The Wolf Pack got off to a strong start with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Oregon State in its season opener. A sacrifice fly from Danielle Patrick in the ninth gave the Pack the extra-innings win. In the second game of the day, the Wolf Pack fell 8-0 in six innings to No. 1 Washington.
Nevada will continue play Saturday as it takes on Texas A&M at 11:30 a.m. (PST) and No. 15 Northwestern at 4:30 p.m. All games are at the Tempe Sports Complex.
In the first game, Nevada got a strong effort from sophomore Mallary Darby, who went the distance in getting the victory. She gave up eight hits and four runs – just two earned – while striking out 11 without walking a batter.
The teams traded hitless innings through the first three frames before Oregon State got something started in the fourth. A leadoff double from McKenna Lowe was followed by a single from Lea Cavestany. After Darby won a 14-pitch battle with Audrey Roderfeld – striking the cleanup hitter out. But Mary Claire Brenner singled both runners in and Oregon State took a 2-0 lead.
Nevada’s bats woke up in the fifth, however. With one out, Patrick and Amanda Nims singled to get things going. One batter later, Noelle Micka drove a double to gap to score both runners and tie the game.
The score held at 2-2 until the game went extra innings. With the international tie-breaker rule in effect – a runner is placed at second base to start each extra frame – Oregon State scored in the top of the eighth to take an 3-2 lead.
But Nevada came right back as Micka doubled again, this time down the right-field line, to score Chelsea Barilli.
Oregon State answered with a run in the ninth – on a wild pitch from Darby.
But Nevada came right back again as Kelsey Starr doubled to lead off the frame, scoring Britton Murdock from second. After a Lauren Lastrapes groundout moved Starr to third, Patrick’s sacrifice fly to right plated Starr and gave Nevada the 5-4 win.
In game two, Nevada could not get much going offensively off Washington starter and reigning national Player of the Year Danielle Lawrie. Lawrie fanned 13 and yielded just three hits for the Huskies.
Washington scored one in the first inning but took control of the game in the third inning. With the bases loaded, Hooch Fagaly blasted a three-run double to give Washington a commanding lead.
The Huskies scored four more times in the sixth to end it.
Lastrapes and Sam Puzey each collected their first collegiate hits in the game, off Lawrie. Nevada’s other hit was the first triple of the year and it came off Lawrie.
