Nevada Softball Falls Short in Mountain West Tournament, Awaits NCAA Bid
The Nevada softball team entered the Mountain West tournament with hopes of reaching the championship for the first time in program history. However, their aspirations were dashed on Friday as they fell to Fresno State 5-2 in their opening game. Aaliyah Jenkins ignited the Wolf Pack early with a solo home run in the first inning, but Fresno State quickly countered with an unearned run due to a throwing error, eventually taking a 2-1 lead.
Despite both teams exchanging runs and trailing 3-2 heading into the final inning, Fresno State capitalized with two additional runs off a lead-off walk and two doubles, securing their place in Saturday’s championship. Mountain West Pitcher of the Year, Serayah Neiss, held Nevada to just six hits, while the Wolf Pack struggled offensively, going 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
In an elimination game against San Diego State, Nevada fought hard but ultimately fell again, this time 5-4. The Aztecs took an early 2-0 lead, but the Wolf Pack rallied to tie the game, driven by an RBI double from Maya Larsen and a sacrifice fly from Tatum Maytorena. Nevada briefly took a lead in the fifth inning with Haylee Engelbrecht’s RBI, but SDSU’s Gabriella Terrones responded with a two-run home run, retaking the lead.
The defeat marked the first time Nevada has lost back-to-back games since mid-March. With a 41-14 record and a top-40 RPI ranking, the Wolf Pack now awaits potential selection for an NCAA regional under first-year head coach Victoria Hayward. The team’s steadfast resilience this season will be key as they hope for a meaningful postseason opportunity.
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