Nevada 11, New Mexico 8
Friday, April 25, 2025 – 5 p.m. MT
Albuquerque, N.M. – Lobo Softball Field
 
W: Hailey McLean (15-6)
L: Caprice Barela (0-3)
 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Nevada Softball won its series opener against New Mexico, taking a big lead thanks to a six-run fourth inning, then fending off the Lobos' comeback bid.
 
Nevada got out to a quick start with Madison Clark walking to lead off the game, then stealing second for Aaliyah Jenkins to drive her in on a single up the middle. Lexi O'Gorman recorded an RBI for the fourth straight game, scoring Jenkins on an infield single by beating out the throw from the shortstop. The Pack scored a third run in the second inning with an RBI bunt single by Clark, scoring Haley Painter.
 
The Lobos responded in the bottom of the second, tying the game with a two-run double and an RBI single to right.
 
Nevada's big inning came in the fourth, where Clark got the Wolf Pack going with her second bunt single of the game. Following Jenkins's single, Di Genova grounded out, scoring Clark on the play. Haylee Engelbrecht walked on four pitches, setting up a two-run double by O'Gorman to score Jenkins and Engelbrecht. O'Gorman's third RBI of the day gave her 13 in four games.
 
Maya Larsen kept the rally going, trading places with O'Gorman on an RBI double. Painter capped off the inning with a deep homer to centerfield, putting Nevada up 9-3.
 
New Mexico got a run back in the bottom of the fourth with a homer to centerfield, but an Aaliyah Jenkins homer to left, scoring Clark, got the run back plus another for the Pack.
 
The Lobos began to slowly chip away at the lead, doubling in the fifth to score two runs, then with a home run off the top of the wall to make it 11-7, Nevada. With one out, a double play ball could not be converted, allowing another New Mexico run to score. The tying run made the final out for New Mexico, flying out to left field.
 
Friday was another offensive explosion for Nevada as the Pack tallied 14 hits, with three players recording three hits: Clark, Jenkins, and O'Gorman. Clark and Jenkins each walked once as well, reaching base four times each with multiple stolen bases. Painter recorded multiple extra base hits for the first time in 23 games, the same number of games she had gone without a double; Painter also walked in the game. Engelbrecht, Larsen, and Matlyn Leetch rounded out the Wolf Pack hit getters, each with one.
 
The Wolf Pack pitching staff had a surprisingly rough night for how in control the Pack was all game. Hailey McLean got the start and the win, pitching five innings while giving up eight hits and six runs, all earned. McLean struck out two batters, walking two. Jessica McPartland closed out the game, throwing two innings, giving up five hits and a pair of runs, both earned.
 
Nevada looks to take its seventh series in conference play tomorrow with a 1 p.m. PT first pitch back at Lobo Softball Field.
 
Notables

• Nevada improves to 13-4 in conference play now with a 1.0 game lead over San Diego State (idle) and Fresno State (Friday postponed).
• Haley Painter passes Brittany Puzey for the third most home runs in a Nevada career with 35.
• Painter and Aaliyah Jenkins each hit their 14^th home runs of the season, now tied with Taryn Jenkins's 2024 season for the fourth most homers in a season in Wolf Pack history.
• Jenkins tallied three RBIs in Friday's win, bringing her season total to 50, which is the ninth most in a single season in Nevada's history.
• Jenkins passes 2024 Taryn Jenkins for the fifth most total bases in a season with 126.
• Jenkins stole two bases, passing 2023 Bridgette Gilliano for the fourth most stolen bases in a season, and the most by any player other than Chelie Senini.
• Madison Clark also climbs the single-season stolen base list, tying 2021 Sadaria McAlister with 22 steals this season.
• Jenkins scored three times, tying her with 2014 Megan Sweet for the second most runs scored in a Nevada, season, one shy from tying the program record of 54 by Chelie Senini.
• Hailey McLean's 15^th win of the season ties her with two Wolf Pack players for the eighth most in a season
• McLean's two strikeouts move her past 2013 Karlyn Jones for the ninth most strikeouts in Wolf Pack history.