The loser’s bracket in the 4A North baseball regional tournament is ruthless. Ask Spanish Springs. The Cougars tried to slay the double-elimination dragon last week and got within one hit of winning its fifth straight elimination game and celebrating its first title since 2011. Ultimately, the grind of playing for the seventh time in five days, the fifth in three days, … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Nowaczewski beats No. 6 team in nation, Gorman coaching crisis pivots, Widmar wows at HDL meet
Playing at Nevada, opportunities to compete against the nation’s elite are scarce. Entering this weekend, only one Mountain West baseball team had an RPI in the top 100 (New Mexico). When Fresno State won it all 2008, it was a member of the WAC. So was Nevada, which went 4-4 against the Bulldogs that spring. The Wolf Pack got a shot at a household name this weekend, … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Fun rivalry week awaits, Silver and Blue takeaways, Pack softball surging
This is it. The 4A North baseball and softball regular season end this week. Baseball wraps up Thursday and softball Saturday. The regional baseball tourney begins next Tuesday at host hosts sites. Bishop Manogue will once again host the softball regional tournament, starting two days later. Programs across the region will play their rivals this week with plenty on … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Jensen strikes history books
It didn’t feel out of the ordinary. That’s almost unfair to say. Julia Jensen’s ordinary is atypical. As a sophomore, Jensen was the ace for one of the best softball teams in the nation that broke through for its first state title in nearly two decades. She’s the do-it-all softballer who will throw a complete-game shutout and hit a couple home runs (she ranks … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Reed/Spanish Springs baseball squads sweep contenders, Nevada baseball back on track?, Reno 1868 FC showing expansion colors
After falling at home to Galena, 14-4, in five innings on April 6, Spanish Springs first-year coach Matt Ortiz said he didn’t know where his team stood. He felt okay about his squad’s place following a narrow 7-4 loss at Galena three days prior, but the lack of competitiveness displayed gave him reason for concern. Instead of meeting down the left-field line and talking … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Goins gets Nevada offense goin’, Spanish Springs softball surprising, Muss bus headed to Greater Nevada Field
She’s picking up right where she left off at Reed. After playing an integral role in the Raiders’ four-straight regional titles, Kenzi Goins is once again giving pitchers problems. Now she’s doing it at Nevada. Goins, a true freshman, has settled into the cleanup position and playing first base. She was a shortstop in high school. The Reed alum has started 30 of … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Three locals named to NIAA Northern Nevada Top 10
Each year, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association selects 20 statewide senior student-athletes who have excelled on and off the playing surface and names them to the Northern Nevada or Southern Nevada Top 10. Special consideration is given for lettering in multiple sports, relative academic success within the school, extracurricular participation beyond … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Nevada fans left to play waiting game
One of the best seasons in the history of the Nevada basketball program ended on Thursday night in Milwaukee. Nerves built on a foundation of inexperience led to a forgettable start against Iowa State and the Wolf Pack couldn’t fully recover out of the locker room. But speculation about the future of the program started long before the final horn in cheese … [Read more...]