The Nevada Wolf Pack baseball team (6-5, 0-0) came from behind to win the first of a three-game series against the University of Pacific Tigers (6-7, 0-0).
Pack starting pitcher Alessandro Castro recorded two quick outs before Tigers third baseman Grant MacArthur drove in Brendan O’Sullivan with a double off the wall. MacArthur later scored on an error by Nevada shortstop Jackson Waller, and Derek Bartram drove in Pacific’s third run of the first inning.
However, the Pack responded quickly, via a four-pitch walk by Rominic Quiban and an ensuing two-run homer by second baseman Junhyuk Kwon. They continued to rally when Sean Yamaguchi and Noah Blythe reached base.
Center fielder Lee Matsuzaki drove in Yamaguchi with a double while advancing Blythe to third. Waller drove Blythe home with a sacrifice fly. Pack catcher Jake Harvey ended the eventful first inning with Nevada up 4-3.
In the top of the second, the Tigers’ Andrew Sloan and O’Sullivan reached base, and center fielder JT Shank blasted a line drive into center to tie the game at four.
In the following at-bat, Jake Tandy sent the ball into left field to drive in two more runs, giving Pacific the lead back at 6-4.
The game finally settled down, going scoreless until the top of the fifth, when Tigers’ catcher Diego Davis drove in a run off of Pack reliever Mahiro Tomita. Tomita replaced Castro in the bottom of the second.
In the bottom of the frame, Blythe and Matsuzaki reached base again, but a runners on the corners opportunity was squandered as right fielder Sam Kane grounded out to short.
After a 1-2-3 inning by Tomita, Waller and Harvey walked to set the stage for Quiban, who drove in a run to cut the lead to 7-5.
After Kwon was retired, Nevada first baseman Jayce Dobie kept the hitting going in the sixth with a single to score Harvey.
The eighth inning opened up with a triple from Harvey, who was driven home by Quiban via a sacrifice fly to tie the game at seven.
Kwon reached base but was pinch-run for Jack Metcho, who advanced to second base via a wild pitch. Dobie singled up the middle to give Nevada an 8-7 lead.
Yamaguchi singled and Matsuzaki walked, loading the bases for Sam Kane, who drew an RBI through a walk on a long at bat.
The Pack’s lead was extended after Waller drove in two runs to up their advantage to 11-7.
Andres Castro entered the game at the top of the ninth and made quick work of the Pacific lineup, as the Pack took the first game 11-7.
