LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Nevada softball team came up short on its bid to sweep its first WAC series of the season, falling 10-4 to New Mexico State on Saturday at NMSU Softball Complex.
With the loss, Nevada fell to 16-20 overall and 3-8 in WAC play. NMSU moved to 20-21 and 2-10. The Wolf Pack is in sixth place in the WAC with three conference series remaining before the WAC Tournament.
Nevada jumped out to a 3-0 lead with another strong performance from the middle and bottom part of the lineup. Kelsey Starr reached on catcher’s interference and Lauren Lastrapes followed with a single to put two on with nobody out. Freshman Sam Puzey singled through the right side to plate Starr with the first run of the game. Megan Fincher then smashed a two-run double down the line in left to score Lastrapes and move Puzey to third. After Kortnee Wiley grounded out, Noelle Micka lifted a sacrifice fly to left that scored Puzey and gave the Pack a 3-0 lead.
New Mexico State answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-2.
The Wolf Pack, in what would become a theme during the game, missed out on opportunities in the third and fourth innings, leaving the bases loaded in both frames. In the game, Nevada stranded 11 runners.
NMSU tied it with a home run in the fourth and then blew the game open with two more home runs in the fifth as the Aggies led 8-3 after five.
Lastrapes collected her fourth career home run and second in as many games with a solo shot in the seventh.
The three freshman in Nevada's lineup -- Lastrapes, Puzey and Fincher -- combined to go 7-for-12 with three runs and three RBI in the game.
The Wolf Pack will return home to play host to UC Davis in a doubleheader on Tuesday at Hixson Park. First pitch is at 2 p.m.
Nevada returns to conference play on Friday when WAC-leading Hawaii comes to Reno for a three-game set.
