Courtesy of Nevada Athletics –
Incarnate Word 1, Nevada 9
Friday, February 14, 2025 – 1 p.m. CT
Houston – Cougar Softball Stadium
W: Hailey McLean (4-0)
L: Bella Mitchell (2-1)
Nevada 10, Houston 7
Friday, February 14, 2025 – 7 p.m. CT
Houston – Cougar Softball Stadium
W: Hailey McLean (5-0)
L: Maddie Hartley (2-1)
HOUSTON – Nevada Softball picked up two wins on opening day at the Easton Classic II in Houston. A 9-1 run-rule win over Incarnate Word and a 10-7 comeback victory against Houston sealed two wins for Hailey McLean, improving her record to 5-0.
Incarnate Word 1, Nevada 9
The Wolf Pack dominated the game through the long ball, hitting three homers on just five hits. Each of the Pack’s first three hits were home runs, jumping out to an 8-1 lead before even collecting a single.
Two walks early from Madison Clark and Haley Painter set up Hannah Di Genova for a line drive home run over the center field fence. Di Genova continued her hot streak all day, extending her hit streak to six games and hitting her third home run of the year.
In the second inning, walks drawn by Maytorena and M. Clark set up another three-run home run for the Pack. Aaliyah Jenkins provided the second three-run shot of the day, putting Nevada up, 6-0. Incarnate Word scored its lone run after an errant throw down to third found its way into left field, allowing a Cardinal runner home.
Haylee Engelbrecht walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. Next up, Bailie Clark poked a fly ball which kept carrying and found itself over the fence for a two-run homer. Later in the inning, Di Genova singled down the left field line to score M. Clark from first base.
McLean picked up her fourth win in four appearances to start the season. McLean pitched 4.0 innings allowing just one hit and one unearned run. McLean struck out four batters while walking three and hitting one. Jessica McPartland closed the game for Nevada, pitching a clean inning with a pair of flyouts and a ground out.
Nevada 10, Houston 7
The Wolf Pack were heading for a split Friday before Avery Cordell’s first career home run sparked the Pack to flip the game on its head. Ainsley Berlingeri got the start against the Cougars, and couldn’t replicate her dominance from her debut last weekend. Berlingeri walked two and hit a batter in the first inning before pulling herself out of the jam scoreless. Berlingeri found herself in the same situation in the second inning, this time walking in a run, before she was pulled and relieved by Tess Bumiller
The Wolf Pack struggled to get their bats going while Houston started to tack on runs. A third-inning single added to the Cougars’ early lead before a three-run home run put Houston up 5-0.
McLean entered the game in the fourth inning, finishing out the inning shortly after the home run. McLean went straight to work in relief, striking out six of her first seven batters.
Pinch-hitting in the fifth inning, Cordell hit a line-drive home run, the first of her career, to put Nevada on the board. Cordell’s spark started the sixth inning. Di Genova crushed her second home run of the day, scoring Painter to cut the lead to two. Lexi O’Gorman, Saige Alfaro, and Engelbrecht loaded the bases for B. Clark, who drove in O’Gorman on a fielder’s choice to second base. M. Clark cleaned house to take the lead, 6-5, with a single to center field, scoring Alfaro and B. Clark.
Houston got a run back in the seventh inning through the help of some Nevada bunt defense miscues. A sacrifice fly to right field was deep enough to score the runner and tie the game. McLean struck out two more Houston batters in the bottom of the seventh, driving the Wolf Pack defense.
Nevada couldn’t get anything going in the eighth, grounding out, striking out, and flying out to end the inning. McLean continued to dominate in the circle, striking out the side once again and sending the Pack to the ninth.
Jenkins walked to start the inning, followed by a Di Genova walk. O’Gorman flew out to center field, allowing Jenkins just enough time to tag from second and grab third base in a pivotal moment. Alfaro hit a groundball up the middle to the shortstop, giving her just enough time to beat out the throw at first and allow Jenkins to score to give Nevada the lead. The Nevada two-out rally continued, with Tatum Maytorena reaching on a swinging bunt, scoring Di Genova. Engelbrecht tacked on the insurance, doubling down the left-field line to score both Alfaro and Maytorena.
Houston would get one run back in the bottom half, scoring from another sacrifice fly. However, a grounder to second base would cap off Nevada’s comeback and McLean’s second win of the day.
Di Genova led the team with three hits against Houston, including her towering home run in the sixth inning. McLean finished with 13 strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched, allowing no earned runs.
Nevada plays the same schedule again on Saturday. A neutral site game against Incarnate Word starts the day at 11 a.m. PT, followed by the nightcap against Houston at 5 p.m. PT.
