March 12, 2017
RENO, Nev. - In the final matchup of the 2017 Nevada Classic, the Nevada softball team fell to the Saint Mary's Gaels by score of 9-4. After Sunday's game, the Pack sits at 14-10 heading into conference play, which begins on March 17.
The Pack's day began with another offensive outpouring in the third inning, where Nevada scored four runs off of four hits all coming with two outs in the inning. The rally started when freshman Kenzi Goins ripped a double down the left field line for her fifth two-bagger of the season.
Following a mishap from the Gaels' (10-12) defense that allowed Goins to score, freshman Mele Tausinga doubled home junior Erika Hansen to give the Pack a 2-0 lead. Tausinga would come around to score after sophomore Alyssa Mendez connected on a base-knock to left field, extending Nevada's lead to 3-0.
After Mendez stole second base, senior Melissa Arriaga drew a walk to put two runners on for freshman Haley Burda, who collected one of her two hits of the day with a single to left field, scoring Mendez to push the Pack's advantage to 4-0. Burda finished the weekend hitting 6-for-9, where she produced at least one hit in all of Nevada's four games.
With the Pack holding a 4-0 lead heading into the fourth inning, Saint Mary's responded by scoring nine unanswered runs in the final four frames. The Pack committed errors in the fifth and seventh inning, which resulted in six unearned runs for Nevada's pitching staff.
The five-run deficit Nevada faced entering the bottom of the seventh inning proved to be too much for the Pack to overcome as the Gaels came away with the 9-4 victory. Nevada will be back on the field March 17-19 when it opens up conference play against San Jose State in Stockton, Calif.
