Box Score April 14, 2017 Box Score
RENO, Nev. - After jumping out to an early lead in the first inning for the fifth straight game, the Nevada softball team fell to the UNLV Rebels by a score of 12-7 on Friday afternoon. Heading into Saturday's rubber match between the intrastate rivals, the Wolf Pack sits at 21-17 on the season and 7-7 in conference play.
Much like the past four games, the Pack's bats were making noise early as the team scored three runs in the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead. After senior Raquel Martinez got things going with a leadoff triple to right centerfield, freshman Sienna Swain brought her home by reaching base on a fielder's choice.
With one run in and a runner on, junior Erika Hansen stepped up to the plate with nobody out and took the third pitch she saw and sent it over the fence for her second home run in as many days. Her two-run blast marked the fifth consecutive game that Nevada has scored at least two runs in the opening inning.
Sophomore Kali Sargent kept the Rebels (21-18, 4-7 MW) scoreless through the first two innings, producing four of the first six outs via the strikeout. Her performance in the circle in those two innings helped set the table for another multiple-run inning for Nevada in the second.
Martinez jumpstarted the Pack's offense again with a single through the right side, which Swain followed by reaching base on an error from UNLV's shortstop. After Hansen walked to load the bases, freshman Kenzi Goins hit a groundball the shortstop and advanced all the way to third on an error, resulting in all three runs to score.
Junior Aaliyah Gibson kept the rally going with her sixth triple of the season that scored Goins for the Pack's fourth run of the inning. With the Pack leading 7-0, the Rebels platted on run in the top of the third to cut the lead to six runs.
In the top half of the fifth frame, UNLV put up eight more runs on the scoreboard to take a 9-7 lead and never looked back from that point forward as the Rebels claimed the 12-7 win. The final game of the three-game series will take place on Saturday.
First pitch for the rubber match is scheduled for 12 p.m. PT. Children eighth grade and younger are welcome to arrive at Hixson Park 30 minutes prior to the start of the game for an egg hunt behind the outfield fence.
