The Wolf Pack women’s softball team traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii on Feb. 8-10 to compete in the Paradise Classic tournament, their first tournament of the season. Nevada finished the weekend with a record of 3-2.
Nevada began the tournament with a game against the Kansas City University Kangaroos on Feb. 8. Kansas City scored early with an RBI in the first inning from Lexy Smith, Kansas City third baseman, in which Abby Husak, Kansas City right field, scored. However, Nevada prevented any more runs from being scored for the rest of the game.
At the top of the seventh inning, Nevada got on the scoreboard themselves when Kansas City made a throwing error, which allowed Taryn Jenkins, Nevada first baseman, and Matlyn Leetch, Nevada utility player, to reach home. The Wolf Pack ended the game with three outs in a row at the bottom of the seventh, giving them their first win of the tournament.
For their second game of the day, the Wolf Pack faced off against the hosts of the tournament, Hawaii. Nevada started out strong with five runs and three home runs in the first inning. Both Jenkins and Gabby Herrera, Nevada right fielder, had two home runs throughout the game, while Haley Painter, Nevada third baseman, had one in the first inning.
The Pack scored 10 runs total, and held Hawaii at two. Nevada obtained the runs after an RBI at the bottom of the first and a home run hit by Ka’ena Keliinoi, Hawaii third base, in the third. Their second win put Nevada at 2-0 going into their second day of the tournament.
Feb. 9 saw two losses for Nevada, beginning with a BYU shutout. Violet Zavodnik, BYU center fielder, hit two homeruns in the first and sixth innings, and BYU scored eight runs total throughout the game, shutting out the Wolf Pack and finishing with an 8-0 score for Nevada’s first loss of the season.
The Wolf Pack’s second Friday game against Ole Miss was a much closer match. Nevada put up two runs in the third inning after a double and RBI from Bridgette Gilliano, Nevada second baseman, who also made it home after a fly out from Aaliyah Jenkins, Nevada designated hitter.
However, Ole Miss scored two runs in the fourth and sixth, sending the game into extra innings. The game ended in the eighth with a single RBI hit by Ryan Starr, Ole Miss shortstop, while the bases were loaded. The play allowed Lexie Brady, Ole Miss designated hitter, to score. The game ended 2-3, sending Nevada to their third day of the tournament with a 2-2 record.
Nevada’s only game on Feb. 10 was against Kansas City once again. The Wolf Pack were the first to score in the second inning after a home run and RBI from Herrera. Nevada scored two more runs in the third inning and another home run in the fourth from Jenkins, which put the Pack at five runs total.
The Wolf Pack allowed only one run from Kansas City in the sixth inning after a bases-loaded walk from Tyra Clary, Nevada pitcher.
Nevada ended their first tournament of the season with an overall record of 3-2. The program will travel to Santa Clara, Calif. and San Jose, Calif. on Feb. 15 for their next tournament.
Lily Walker can be reached via email de**********@********nr.edu or via Twitter (either put yours or mine, @TheBigCountry14)
