Box Score

RENO, Nev. - Nevada (31-14, 9-2 WAC) came back from a 6-0 deficit to defeat the No. 18/15 University of Hawai`i softball team, 7-6, in dramatic fashion on a cold, windy day at the Christina M. Hixson Park in Reno, Nev. Hawai`i (31-13, 7-3 WAC) gave up five runs in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Wolf Pack the win. In the loss, senior Kate Robinson tied former UH great, Stacey Porter, for the school's all-time career home run record at 38.

Hawai`i got off to a quick start, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Kaulana Gould started early rally by drawing a walk. Brandi Peiler then got an infield single on a grounder to third. Robinson then stepped to the plate and launched a high drive over the fence in left-centerfield for the early, 3-0 lead.

The Rainbow Wahine then scored single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth inning. Tanisha Milca scored in the third inning on a sharp single to left by Peiler. Audrey Andrade started things going in the fourth with a double to the gap in left-centerfield. Pinch runner, Kate Adams then scored when the next batter, Katie Grimes, hit a single to centerfield. On the play, UNR's centerfielder misplayed that ball and Adams hustled home to score on the fielding error. Then in the fifth, Clare Warwick scored UH's final run on an RBI single up the middle by Andrade to push Hawai`i's lead to 6-0.

Then the Wolf Pack started to come back. In the bottom of the fifth, Britton Murdock came through with a two-out, two-RBI double to centerfield, scoring both Noelle Micka and Brittany Puzey, cutting UH's lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the seventh, things unravelled for the 'Bows. Micka started the inning with a triple to right-centerfield. A sacrifice fly by Puzey brought in Micka from third. Vanessa Briones followed by blasted in home run over the leftfield fence for the inning's second run. Next, Britton Murdock reached first on a fielding error by the second baseman. Sam Bias then got a hit to center to put two runners on board. Hawai`i got Kelsy Starr to hit a foul, pop-fly to the catcher for the second out. Then UNR got three consecutive, RBI singles from Kym Silagyi, Danielle Patrick and pinch hitter Michelle Beach. Patrick's RBI drove in the tying run from second. On the play, centerfielder, Gould, came up and fired a strike to home plate. But Bias slid into Katie Grimes at the plate and the ball popped out, allowing the game to continue and the score to be tied at 6-6. Beach then came through with the walk-off, pinch-hit single that scored Silagyi for the win.

For Hawai`i, Robinson (13-4, 3-1 WAC) threw a complete game in the loss. She gave up seven runs on 14 hits with three walks and four strike outs.

Nevada's Jordan McPherson started the game, but only lasted 3.1 innings, giving up five runs on five hits with a walk and three strike outs. Richelle Villescas came in in relief and earned the victory, firing the final 3.2 innings, giving up just one run on six hits.

Hawai`i and Nevada play the final game of the three-game conference series tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm at Hixson Park.