Box Score March 19, 2017 Box Score
STOCKTON, Calif. - After struggling to string together hits in its first two games of the weekend, the Nevada softball team recorded nine hits in route to a 6-2 win over San Jose State on Sunday afternoon. With victory, the Wolf Pack moves to 1-2 in Mountain West play and improves its overall record to 15-12 on the season.
Senior McKenna Isenberg pitched another standout performance for the Pack, collecting her second complete game of the weekend to earn her eighth win of the year. She allowed just two runs, struck out five batters and utilized the defense behind her as the Spartans (19-10, 2-1 MW) left 10 runners on base.
The Pack's offense had no problems getting its offense going early as the team managed to score three runs in the first inning. Junior Aaliyah Gibson jumpstarted the offense by recording the first hit of the day with her bunt single, which set the table for freshman Kenzi Goins for a single of her own through the left side.
With runners now on first and second, junior Erika Hansen stepped up to the plate and took a pitch she liked to left field and watched it soar over the fence for her team-leading fifth home run of the season. Hansen's long ball marked the Pack's third and final hit of the inning and helped put Nevada ahead, 3-0.
Despite the Pack going scoreless over the next three innings, Nevada's offense found its groove once again, scoring one run in each of the final three innings of the game. In the top of the fifth, senior Raquel Martinez launched a solo shot down the left field line for her first home run of the season to extend the Pack's lead to 4-0.
After Hansen recorded her second hit of the game with a double to right centerfield in the sixth inning, senior Nikki Orozco popped one up so high in the air, the Spartan defense lost the ball in sun, which resulted in Hansen scoring Nevada's fifth run of the game. However, San Jose State didn't fold as the Spartans fought back in the bottom of the sixth to score two runs of their own and trim Nevada's lead to 6-2.
As the Wolf Pack entered the final inning with just a three-run lead, Nevada used a sacrifice fly ball from Gibson to tack on an insurance run and score Martinez, giving the Pack a 6-2 lead heading in the final half inning. The Spartans did their best to put on a comeback effort, putting runners on second and third with just one out.
With Isenberg seeking her eighth complete game of the season, she induced back-to-back line drives to record the final two outs of the game to seal the 6-2 win for the Pack. Up next, Nevada returns to Hixson Park to host its first conference series of the year March 20-22 as the team takes on Utah State.
