Wolf Pack softball sweeps Hawaii

Wof Pack softball sweeps Hawaii

Appeal Staff Report

The Nevada softball team notched its fifth consecutive win, topping No. 16 Hawaii, 13-10, Sunday at Christina M. Hixson Park.

The victory, which moved the Wolf Pack to 10-2 in the Western Athletic Conference and 32-14 overall, also moved coach Michelle Gardner into the record books.

Gardner passed Pat Hixon (1980-89) as the winningest coach in program history, improving to 175-172 in her sixth year at Nevada.

"That is a nice accolade but the most important thing is that we got the sweep over Hawaii," Gardner said. "Our girls never backed down this weekend and I am proud of them for the way they kept fighting back."

The Wolf Pack rode the arm of sophomore Katie Holverson to victory over the Rainbow Wahine, which fell to 7-4, 31-14.

Holverson (16-5) went the distance, spreading out 10 runs (six earned) and 12 hits, while walking one and striking out nine.

The Wolf Pack pumped out a season high in runs and equaled a season best with 16 hits.

Freshman catcher Noelle Micka led Nevada, now ranked No. 24 in the nation, going 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.

Brittany Puzey, Vanessa Briones, Kelsey Starr, Kym Silagyi and Danielle Patrick each added two hits for Nevada, which became the first team since Fresno State in 2006 to sweep Hawaii in a three-game series.

The Rainbow Wahine overcame a five-run first inning by Nevada - the Pack's Sam Bias connected for a grand slam in the frame - and took an 8-7 lead with a three-run fifth.

But the Pack put up another five-spot in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again.

Nevada got a pair of two-run doubles from Micka and Briones and Starr singled in the other run as the Pack took a 12-8 lead.

Nevada will return to action when it hosts Louisiana Tech for a three-game series beginning Friday.

The Wolf Pack and Bulldogs play a doubleheader on Friday, followed by a single contest on Saturday, at Hixson Park.

The games begin at 2 p.m. on both days.