CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The Nevada softball team wrapped up play in Cathedral City Classic on Sunday with a 4-3 extra-innings loss to Syracuse and a 10-0 loss in five innings to Utah.
With the losses, Nevada fell to 3-12 on the season.
Against Syracuse (11-2), Nevada fell behind early as the Orange scored once in the first inning on a pair of base hits. Nevada came back and tied the game in the fourth as sophomore Megan Fincher came through with an RBI single. But the Pack missed out on an opportunity, leaving the bases loaded to end the top of the fourth inning.
Syracuse re-took the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Jasmine Watson homered off Mallary Darby to give the Orange a 2-1 lead.
Nevada battled back to tie the game in the sixth without a hit. Britton Murdock reach on an error, stole second base and then took third on a sacrifice bunt by Lauren Lastrapes. Murdock scored on another error by Watson, the third baseman.
After a scoreless seventh, the teams went to extra innings with the international tie-breaker rule in effect so each team started the eighth inning with a runner on second base. Nevada took the lead in the top of the eighth, again without a base hit. Chelsea Barilli was the runner on second and she took third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.
But Syracuse back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to win it.
Mallary Darby (3-6) took the loss for the Pack. She went the distance, giving up eight hits and four runs – three earned – while walking two and striking out three.
In the second game of the day against Utah, Nevada struggled to get on track at the plate and in the circle. Freshman Bailey Brewer (0-6) lasted just an inning and a third as she gave up two runs on just one hit and three walks. She was also called for four illegal pitches. Freshman Ariel Craig gave up eight runs on 3.2 innings of relief.
Offensively, Nevada had just two hits – singles by Karley Hopkins and Megan Fincher.
Nevada will be back in action on Wednesday when it travels to UC Davis for a doubleheader against the Aggies. The Wolf Pack will then open up its home schedule as Boston College and DePaul come to Reno for the Wolf Pack Classic beginning Friday at Hixson Park.
Nevada will play five games in the event as part of a 14-game homestand over three weekends.
