Pack losses WAC championship to Bulldogs
Nevada’s season ended Sunday when it lost in the championship round of the Western Athletic Conference tournament to Fresno State, 6-4.
Fresno State scored five of its six runs with two outs in the fifth inning. Nevada pitcher Chris Garcia had cruised through the first four innings, but in the fifth he gave up a double, single, double and a walk after getting the first two outs of the inning.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Fresno State leading 4-2, Nevada second baseman David Ciarlo decided to go to second instead of taking the routine play at first base. Fresno State’s Alan Ahmady safely slid into second base and Tommy Mendonca followed with a two-run single.
Nevada’s 1-4 hitters in the lineup were 0-13 through the first seven innings of the game, but in the eighth inning they finally got started. Matt Bowman led-off the inning with a double, followed by a Jason Rodriguez single and a Shaun Kort single.
With the score 6-4 and runners on first and second base with no outs, Nevada coach Gary Powers elected to bunt the hot-hitting Mike Hale. Hale’s bunt bounced off the plate and into the air, giving Fresno State catcher Ryan Overland an easy play at third base to force out the lead runner.
Terry Walsh then grounded into a fielder’s choice. The inning ended after Walsh was picked-off first base.
Nevada catcher Tyson Jaquez reached on an error to leadoff the ninth inning, but Kevin Rodland grounded into a fielder’s choice and David Ciarlo fouled out to the second baseman Eric Wetzel. Nevada’s leadoff hitter Jason Sadoian then ended the game with a strikeout, capping his 0-5 performance at the plate.
Garcia took the loss for the Wolf Pack, while Holden Sprague was the pitcher of record for the Bulldogs. Sprague threw 5.1 innings, allowed two earned runs and three hits. Brandon Burke came in for the last 1.2 innings to get the save for Fresno State.
Garcia pitched 4.2 innings and allowed five runs, four earned. Sammy Miller relieved Garcia and threw 1.2 innings. He allowed two runs, one earned.
Nevada turned two double plays Sunday and six in the WAC tournament, moving the Wolf Pack within two double plays of Louisiana-Monroe for first place in the NCAA this season (75). Nevada turned 73 double plays this season.
The Wolf Pack had six players selected to the All-WAC Tournament team: Tyson Jaquez at catcher, Kevin Rodland at shortstop, Jason Rodriguez at third base, Terry Walsh at designated hitter and David Ciarlo at second base. Ciarlo wasn’t expected to play in the tournament after he missed the final 10 games of the season when he was hit by a pitch in the face and sprained his ankle trying to avoid the pitch. Ciarlo was 6-for-14 this weekend with five runs, eight runs batted in and two home runs.
Nevada’s Rod Scurry was selected as a pitcher after he got his first-ever road victory with the Wolf Pack in the last start of his collegiate career on Friday against San Jose State.
Fresno State won the WAC championship’s automatic bid to the Regional tournament and a chance to play in the College World Series.
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