CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - The University of Nevada softball team (3-9) upset the No. 18 Nebraska (12-2) Cornhuskers 5-1 in its first of two games Saturday at the Cathedral City Classic.
It was Nevada's first win against a ranked team since a 6-4 win over No. 15 Northwestern, February 13, 2010.
The Wolf Pack will take on Fordham in its second game, scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Weather has been a factor in delaying the start time of games throughout the day Saturday however, which may lead to a late start this evening.
Mallary Darby got the start in the circle for Nevada against the Huskers, going seven complete, allowing five hits and striking out five to improve to 3-5 on the season.
The first two innings went by without much action, as neither team scored a run. The Pack got started in the fourth, exploding for five runs on four hits, including a Lauren Lastrapes grand slam.
Later in the inning, Kortnee Wiley singled to score Megan Fincher after the Pack loaded the bases for a second time in the frame. Bailey Brewer was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on the play to end the inning.
The Lastrapes grand slam was her second homer of the year and the first of the four-run variety for any Pack hitter in 2011. This also marked the second career grand slam for Lastrapes. The first one occurred April 16, 2010 at New Mexico State. This was Nevada's first grand slam since Lastrapes hit her first career shot against NMSU.
The Huskers scored once in the fifth, as Darby was able to get a groundout to end the inning and leave two Nebraska runners stranded at the corners. She pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth as well, getting back-to-back hitters to ground out after Nebraska put runners at second and third with only one out.
Good defense and stellar pitching from Darby from Nevada squashed any chance Nebraska had for a comeback, and secured Nevada's third win of the year.
