Abilene Christian 5, Nevada 4
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023
Abilene, Texas - Crutcher Scott Field

WP - Rolando De La Cruz (1-0)
LP - Jason Doktorczyk (0-1)
SV - Max Huffling (1)

ABILENE, Texas - Derek Tenney's two-run homer brought Nevada within a run in the ninth, but the Pack's comeback fell just short in a 5-4 loss at Abilene Christian Saturday.

The Pack had two more outs with which to work after Tenney's homer, but Abilene Christian closer Max Huffling struck out Matt Clayton and Jesse Pierce to close the door.

For the second time in as many games, Nevada (0-2) had a two-run lead near the midway point, only to see it slip away. Henry Strmecki highlighted a 3-for-4 day with a solo shot in the fourth, putting the Pack up 2-0. Nevada starter Jason Doktorczyk kept Abilene Christian off the board through the first four frames but ran into trouble in the fifth.

Three-straight singles loaded the bases for the Wildcats (2-0), but Doktorczyk got Crew Parke to pop up for the first out. Doktorczyk nearly escaped the jam, getting a ground ball into the hole at short from Bash Randle. But, having to move quickly on the relay, JR Freethy's throw from second was wild, allowing Jake Skaggs to score the tying run after Tanner Tweedt came in from third on the grounder.

Logan Britt and Garrett Williams followed with RBI singles, and the Wildcats' four-run fifth put them in front for good. Tweedt would add a solo shot in the seventh to make it 5-2.

Doktorczyk was charged with all four runs, and finished the day with 4.2 innings of work, giving up nine hits with four strikeouts. Peyton Stumbo, who got the final out of the Wildcat fifth, struck out four and gave up a run in 2.1 innings of relief before Kolby Kmetko struck out two in a scoreless eighth. For the second game in a row, Wolf Pack pitchers hit the double-digit mark in strikeouts, finishing with 10 after fanning 11 in Friday's opener.

Nevada nearly cut into the deficit in the eighth, loading the bases with two away. Clayton and Strmecki singled to put two on with one out, then Jeff Bauser drew a two-out walk to load the bases. But Drake Boggan got Michael Ball to fly out to left to end the threat.

Rolando De La Cruz got the win for the Wildcats, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings.

Along with Strmecki, Tenney and Nolan Wilson added multi-hit games for Nevada, with Wilson going 2-for-4 for the second day in a row.

The teams play game three of the four-game set Sunday at 12:05 p.m. PT. Casey Burfield will take the mound for the Pack, opposing Breck Eichelberger.