RENO, Nev. – The Nevada softball opened up its weekend series at Hixson Park on Friday with a 6-5 loss to Boise State in nine innings. Heading into Saturday's contest, the Wolf Pack sits at 19-19 on the season and 8-7 during Mountain West play.
On the afternoon, senior
Aaliyah Gibson recorded a team-high two hits and scored one run in the process. Sophomore
Haley Burda went 1-for-4 with a run scored as well to extend her hitting streak to five games and has now hit safely in 10 of her past 11 games.
After the Broncos (29-13, 8-5 MW) opened the contest with a run in the top of the first, the Wolf Pack responded with a score of its own in the bottom of the inning to knot the score a one a piece. Nevada's potent offense then busted out four runs in the second to take its first lead of the game, 5-1.
Burda led the inning off with her lone hit of the day and after freshman
Lauren Gutierrez bunted her to second, the Pack had a runner in scoring position with just one out. Following a base-knock from sophomore
Sadaria McAlister that brought Burda to third, a passed ball from Boise State allowed Burda to score and give the Pack its first lead of the game.
Senior
Aaliyah Gibson then drew a one-out walk to put two runners on for senior
Erika Hansen, whose single to centerfield scored both McAlister and Gibson. On the play, an error from the Broncos' centerfielder gave Hansen the opportunity to advance to third in which she came around to score courtesy of sophomore
Kenzi Goins.
With the Pack holding its four-run lead through the first three innings, Boise State fired back in the fourth, plating four runs to trim Nevada's advantage to just one. After a scoreless fifth and sixth from both squads, the Broncos extended the game with their run in the seventh, which tied the game at five.
Nevada threatened to win the game in the bottom of the eighth, putting a runner at third base with nobody out, but the Pack was unable to cross the plate. After a run from the Broncos in the ninth, the Pack fell in order in the bottom of the inning as Boise State took the series-opener, 6-5.
The second game of the three-game series is slated for Saturday at 4 p.m. PT inside Hixson Park.
