Nevada 6, Hofstra 5
Saturday, March 4, 2023
Reno, Nev. - Don Weir Field at Peccole Park
WP - Casey Burfield (2-0)
LP - John Mikolaicyk (0-2)
SV - Jacob Biesterfeld (1)
RENO, Nev. - Nevada won its third-straight game and clinched the series against Hofstra Saturday, but not without a nervy finish at Peccole Park.
The Pack (6-5) appeared comfortably on its way to a 6-1 win entering the bottom of the ninth, but the Pride (3-7) scored four times, and had the tying and go-ahead runs on base with two outs before
Jacob Biesterfeld came on and got the one-out save.
Hofstra had been hitless since the third inning, before Santino Rosso's one-out single in the ninth off of
Kolby Kmetko put runners at the corners. A walk and a fly out later, the Pride had bases loaded with two away when a Kmetko wild pitch allowed Kevin Bruggeman to score and make it 6-2. The inning was kept alive on a throwing error from third by
Derek Tenney, which scored Zach Bailey, then Ryan Morash made it 6-5 with a two-run single to right.
Jake Liberatore singled to right, putting runners at the corners, before Biesterfeld came on, and got Brian Morrell to roll into a fielder's choice to third to end it.
Biesterfeld's save preserved a deserved win for Wolf Pack starter
Casey Burfield, who improved to 2-0. Burfield cruised through six innings, striking out eight and scattering five hits, allowing just one run.
Hofstra got that opening run in the third, taking a 1-0 lead, before the Pack capitalized on Pride miscues to take the lead. In the fourth, a Pride error led to Tenney scoring the equalizer.
An inning later,
Jeff Bauser singled followed by a
Taylor Holder double to put runners at second and third to open the fifth.
Michael Ball brought Bauser in with a sacrifice fly to left, then, after a
Mason Hirata walk and double steal, Holder came across on a wild pitch by Pride starter John Mikolaicyk. A passed ball would score Hirata, and just like that it was 4-1 Pack.
Hirata added an RBI double in the seventh, then came in on
Matt Clayton's single through the left side to make it 6-1.
Hirata went 1-for-2 on the day, scoring twice and drawing a walk.
