March 21, 2008

Box Score

RENO, Nev. - Utah State was swept at Nevada in the Western Athletic Conference softball opening action for both teams, as the Aggies lost, 12-1, in five innings and 6-0 on a sunny Friday afternoon at UNR's Christina M. Hixon Park.

It was USU's ninth-straight loss as the Aggies are now 4-16 overall and begin WAC action 0-2. Nevada is 22-11 on the year, having won four of its last five games, as the Wolf Pack start out conference play with a 2-0 record.

Nevada has now won 13 of the last 14 meetings with Utah State and the Wolf Pack increase their the all-time series lead to 15-12.

Game one saw Utah State get on the board in the top of the first. Sophomore center fielder Emily Reilly started with a lead-off walk and scored on a single up the middle by junior first baseman Aubrie Stroman.

Nevada tied up the score with a run in the bottom of the second and plated another in the bottom of the third for a 2-1 .

UNR rallied in the home half of the fourth, as the Wolf Pack batted around and plated 10 runs off nine hits. Nevada capitalized on two home runs in the inning, chasing USU junior pitcher Lindsey Benson before freshman Tylee Landon came on in relief.

Utah State had two hits off UNR pitcher Katie Holverson in five innings. Holverson recorded six strikeouts and improved to 10-4 on the year. Benson had four K's and falls to 3-11 overall.

After two and a half scoreless innings in game two, the Wolf Pack's Noelle Micka drove the ball over the center field fence for her second home run of the day, and UNR took a 1-0 lead.

Nevada tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth, with a walk sandwiched between two singles up the middle and then added one more run in the home half of the fifth.

UNR hung a three spot in the sixth to round out the game's scoring.

Aggie sophomore pitcher Stacey Ellingsworth pitched six complete innings and falls to 0-2 on the season, while Nevada's Jordan McPherson tallied her fourth complete game and struck out six, moving to 7-8 overall.

USU concludes action at Nevada on Saturday, March 23 with a single contest starting at 3 p.m. (MT).