Softball: Wolf Pack opens tournament with win

FRESNO, Calif. - The Nevada softball team got off to the right start in the WAC Tournament with a 5-4 victory over New Mexico State on Wednesday at Bulldog Diamond.

Nevada, ranked No. 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, improved to 36-15 on the year while NMSU fell to 32-20. The Wolf Pack, the second seed in the tournament, advances to face fourth-seeded Louisiana Tech on Thursday at 12:15 p.m.

WAC Pitcher of the Year Katie Holverson tossed a complete game and improved to 24-8 on the season. She gave up six hits and walk just two while striking out 10 in the game.

Noelle Micka and Kym Silagyi each had two hits from the Pack while Britton Murdock had a two-run double and Danielle Patrick keyed a two-run fourth inning with a two-out single.

Nevada improved to 3-0 on the year against New Mexico State.

The Wolf Pack opened the scoring with three runs in the third inning. Silagyi singled with one out and stole second. She then moved to third on a wild pitch. After Brittany Puzey walked and stole second, Murdock followed with the two-run double. Sam Bias then hit a ground ball down the right side that the first baseman fielded and threw wildly to try and force Bias. Bias was safe on the play and Murdock, who never stopped running, scored.

After NMSU scored twice in the top of the fourth to cut Nevada's lead to 3-2, Patrick hit a two-out single to get things going in the bottom of the inning. Micka then doubled to right-center to score Micka. Silagyi followed with an RBI single to plate Micka, which proved to the winning run.

NMSU got two back in the sixth on solo home runs by Angie Ortega and Ashley Maroda but the Aggies would get no closer and Holverson went 1-2-3 in the seventh to close things out.