Home runs increasing
Tuesday, Apr. 29, 2008 @ 12:06 am
Several white DeMarini softball bats are doing some serious damage for the Nevada softball team.The Wolf Pack (35-14, 13-2) is launching home runs at a stellar pace and the season record will likely be surpassed.
Freshman Britton Murdock has seven home runs this season to lead the team, which has 38 this season. The record is 41, which was set in 2005.
“They’re seeing the ball very well right now,” Nevada coach Michelle Gardner said. “They’re really patient and really disciplined. I think that’s the major difference right now.”
In the three-game sweep against Louisiana Tech this weekend, the Wolf Pack hit eight bombs with Vanessa Briones, Danielle Patrick and Kelsey Starr each hitting two. Sam Bias and Brittany Puzey hit the other two.
Bias’ home run Friday was a sharp line drive over the left field wall while Puzey’s was a towering shot over the center-field wall.
No No
Jordan McPherson and Richelle Villescas combined for a no-hitter Saturday in an 8-0 game that was called due to a run rule in the fifth inning.
McPherson worked a majority of the counts to 0-1 and 0-2, which allowed her to throw pitches outside of the strike zone and led to outs.
“You know, I really wanted to come out and set the tone today,” McPherson said. “I wanted to come out with a bang and I’m happy I threw well today.”
Villescas ended the game in the fifth without allowing anyone to reach base.
Because of the solid pitching, the game only took 71 minutes.
McPherson threw the Wolf Pack’s only other no-hitter on April 14 last year in a 10-0 win against San Jose State.
Rough Grass
Hixson Park is in its second year of existence and the outfield grass is still not in ideal shape.
Grass is a tricky surface and during the weekend series against Louisiana Tech, several balls took funny hops causing errors.
Vanessa Briones hit a sharp line drive to left field on Saturday that Louisiana Tech’s Lyndsey McIlwain couldn’t pick up. The ball was hit hard, but it was right to McIlwain, who committed her second error of the year.
“It’s two years old,” Gardner said. “I think, yeah, it’s going to take weird hops out here. But that’s why we take fly balls and grounders in practice to know how the field’s going to play.
“It still needs to keep growing. It will be fine. Our grounds crew is doing a good job.”
The Wolf Pack faced similar problems when the field opened. Holes in the outfield from the separation of grass forced the grounds crew to fill those places with sand.
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