May 18: Loyola Marymount vs. Nevada

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 11, NEVADA 6

RENO, NV – Loyola Marymount lost to Nevada in the opening game of the Regional on Thursday. Saturday afternoon was a different story as the Lions clipped the Wolfpack twice, advancing to the NISC Championship Round.

LMU will head to TC Colorado Field in Fort Collins, Colorado. Championship play will begin on Friday, May 24.

Home runs powered the Lions to victory in the opening Regional Championship Contest. Molly Grumbo launched a solo shot in the third inning to give the Lions the momentary lead. With the game tied in the final frame, Maddison Flores came through in the clutch with a two-run shot to force a decisive game against Nevada.

Sierra Mello Contributed an RBI double in the third inning, while Kenzi Goins homered in the fourth for the Wolfpack.

Nevada’s Kendall Fritz walked only one and struck out three in the circle. For LMU, the combined effort of Hannah Bandimere and Samantha Manti were enough to force an extra contest.

 Ashley Salausa made sure the Wolfpack were off to a hot start in final game. Salausa and Gutierrez combined for two RBI, giving Nevada the lead, 2-0.

Loyola Marymount would respond, though, scoring four runs in the fourth inning on four hits, including a Desiree Moreno home run, vaulting the Lions on top, 5-2.

Rachel Rodriguez and the Wolfpack would go back to work at the plate in the bottom half of the frame. Rodriguez jump-started the inning with a home run, Kenzi Goins continued the scoring with a two-RBI single and Dallas Millwood made the comeback complete with her RBI single. Suddenly, Nevada had clawed its way back to the lead, 6-5.

Making a habit out of solo home runs, Molly Grumbo tallied another in the fifth inning, followed quickly by RBI from Irma Sanchez and Riley Ehlen as the lead shifted back to Loyola Marymount, 8-6.
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An error in the sixth inning and a pair of hits in the seventh gave LMU three more insurance runs to seal the victory and the Regional Championship, 11-6.