Saint Mary's 4, Nevada 2
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Reno, Nev. - Peccole Park

WP: Jason Reitz (2-1)
LP: Zach Garber (0-1)
SV: Owen Cuffe (1)

RENO, Nev. - A late defensive miscommunication on Nevada's part allowed the decisive runs to score Wednesday, as the Wolf Pack fell, 4-2, to Saint Mary's at Don Weir Field at Peccole Park.

With runners at first and second with two out in the top of the eighth and the score tied 2-2, Wolf Pack reliever Kolby Kmetko got Connor Harrison to sky a fly ball into shallow right-center, just past second base. But miscommunication between three Nevada players ended with the ball falling safely, and, running on contact, Tanner Griffith and Christian Almanza came around to give Saint Mary's a 4-2 lead.

Gaels reliever Owen Cuffe came in in the bottom half, and would finish it off for his first save, walking two but not allowing a hit nor a run.

Easton Marks' solid outing went for naught, as the Wolf Pack righty went 6.2 innings, allowing just two runs, neither earned, on five hits with six strikeouts. Reliever Zach Garber, who had left the game but was responsible for the go-ahead run on base when Kmetko came on, took the loss to fall to 0-1.

Gaels reliever Jason Reitz improved to 2-1 with the win in relief, tossing scoreless sixth and seventh innings and striking out four.

Jeff Bauser made his first start in the lineup for Nevada (20-22) and went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and a double. Bauser tied it up at 2-2 with a deep shot to left in the fifth. Jackson Waller also went 2-for-4, and Michael Ball was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and a walk.

Wolf Pack errors led to the first two runs for Saint Mary's (27-16). In the first, Mason Hirata dropped a one-hopper which allowed Coleman Schmidt to reach safely. Schmidt would come around on an RBI double down the line in left from Brian Duroff.

In the third, Marks would throw over the head of Hirata at second on a failed pickoff, and allowing Schmidt to score from second to make it 2-0.

Bauser, who scored both Wolf Pack runs Wednesday, doubled to lead off the third before advancing to third on a Hirata fly ball to right, and scoring on Ball's sacrifice fly to center.

Nevada returns to action this weekend, hosting Houston Christian for a three-game, non-conference series at Peccole Park. The teams will play a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m., before Sunday's 12 p.m. finale.