ST. GEORGE, Utah – The University of Nevada softball team (6-1) cruised to two victories over No. 2 Washington and Dixie State on Friday at the Dixie State Classic. The Pack defeated Washington, 8-5, and Dixie State, 13-0, in five innings. Today's victory over the Huskies marks Nevada's first win over a top-five program since the Pack defeated No. 1 Arizona in 2008.
 
Pitchers Julia Jensen (1-0) and Kendall Fritz (3-0) secured victories on the mound for Nevada. Jensen threw two innings against the Huskies, giving up zero runs, forcing zero hits and striking out two. Fritz recorded the save against Washington, giving up three hits and striking out one. Senior Haley Burda propelled Nevada at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Senior Kenzi Goins and junior Lauren Gutierrez chipped in with two hits each. Freshman Chelie Senini and junior Ashley Salausa also recorded one hit each.
 
Fritz went the distance for Nevada in five innings of work against Dixie State, pitching a two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts. Gutierrez powered Nevada offensively, going a career-best 4-for-4 in the ballgame. Gutierrez also tallied five RBIs to pace Nevada. Senini put together a noteworthy effort at the plate with her second three-hit game of the season. Senini also added three runs and two RBIs. 10 different Wolf Pack players had one or more hits in the ballgame. Nevada recorded a season-best 15 hits.
 
How It Happened
 GAME 1
The Huskies pounced first in the third inning on two solo home runs to take a 2-0 lead. Nevada replied in the fourth on a Haley Burda two-RBI single to center that scored Sierra Mello and Kenzi Goins.
 
In the fifth, Goins' single to center plated Sadaria McAlister and advanced Lauren Gutierrez to third. Next, Salausa's single to center scored Goins and moved Mello to second to push Nevada's lead to 4-2. Burda stepped up next for the Pack, scoring Mello from second on a single to right. Next, Sam Oliver's sacrifice fly to center plated Salausa to extend the Pack's lead to four.
 
Washington bounced back with three runs in the top of the sixth to cut Nevada's lead to one.
 
Nevada answered in the bottom of the sixth on a Lauren Gutierrez RBI single to center that pushed Senini across home. Then, Mello tallied an RBI on a ground out to short, scoring Goins from third to give Nevada an 8-5 edge.
 
GAME 2
After two scoreless innings by the Pack offense, Nevada jumped to a 5-0 lead in the third. First, Gutierrez's two-RBI single to center scored Senini and Lew. Goins' RBI single scored McAlister to push Nevada's lead. Next, Mello's RBI single to right pushed Gutierrez across the plate. To end third, Salausa's ground out to pitcher scored Goins from third.

The Pack moved its lead to 7-0 in the fourth on Gutierrez's two-RBI single, scoring Oliver and Senini.
 
Nevada ended the game with a dominating, six-run fifth inning. Senini began the fifth with a two-RBI single though the right side to score Burda and Salausa. Then, McAlister's single to right scored Jessica Sellers from third. Gutierrez followed with an RBI single through the left side, plating Senini. Kallahan Hunter registered her first hit of the season with an RBI single to second to give Nevada a 12-0 lead. Preslie Hewitt's single up the middle scored Gutierrez to give Nevada its final run of the night.
 
UP NEXT
Nevada faces BYU and Utah Valley on day two of the Dixie State Classic. First pitch against the Cougars is slated for 1:30 p.m. (MT). Nevada ends the day against Utah Valley at 4 p.m. (MT).