For the first time since 2009 and the first in the Mountain West, the Nevada softball team has clinched a regular-season conference title after its series sweep against Colorado State from May 1 to 3.
The title is the Wolf Pack’s first since 2009 in the WAC. With the series against CSU being their final of the season, Nevada finishes 40-12 overall and 18-4 in conference play. It’s the second consecutive year the Wolf Pack have finished with 40 wins.
Under first-year head coach Victoria Hayward, Nevada was projected to finish fifth place in the Mountain West preseason poll. To say the team overshot expectations is an understatement, and just 11 months after Hayward was hired, she’s led her team to a conference title.
Game one of the series against the Rams is where all the magic began. A win in game one would at least give Nevada a share of the conference title. A win is exactly what the Pack got, ending the game with a 7-3 victory.
Second baseman Madison Clark was Nevada’s standout hitter in game one, going 3-4 with two RBIs, two stolen bases and scoring two runs. Starting pitcher Hailey McLean started and earned the win after pitching five innings, allowing just three runs on four hits and four strikeouts.
A win in game two would give Nevada sole possession of the conference title, and they did so in a walk-off fashion, ending the game in five innings with an 8-0 victory.
Starting pitcher Ainsley Berlingeri threw a complete game shutout, going all five innings with two hits, a walk, and three strikeouts. She also carried a no-hitter into the third.
Five of Nevada’s eight runs were scored in the first, powered by a two-run single by infielder Haylee Engelbrecht, an RBI double by outfielder Lexi O’Gorman, and a two-run homer from Maya Larsen. Larsen also scored the final run of the game to end it in five innings.
Game three was fairly similar, ending in an 8-2 win to complete the sweep. Pitcher Tess Bumiller started the season finale, going for innings while giving up one run on three hits and two strikeouts.
Colorado State started ahead in this one after an RBI double in the first. Nevada quickly responded in the bottom half with an RBI triple by catcher Aaliyah Jenkins. Utility player Alycia Coats homered in the second, and Nevada proceeded to score in every inning except for the final two. A four-run fourth inning powered Nevada to win No. 40.
Nevada also celebrated its three seniors in this game, Coats, Jenkins and outfielder Tatum Maytorena.
With the conference clinched, Nevada will be the first seed in next week’s Mountain West tournament in Boise. Nevada is also expected to host the 2026 conference tournament.
Dominic Gutierrez can be reached via email at dominicgutierrez@unr.edu or via X @d_m_g_16
