The Nevada Wolf Pack baseball team opened at home on Friday with a mid-afternoon matchup against the Central Arkansas Bears and cruised to a 17-10 victory. The Bears came into the game at Peccole Park with a 3-4 record and threw their ace Michael Wild, who sported a solid 1-0 record and 2.63 ERA, but the Nevada bats were ready.

“I thought our guys did a nice job with a pretty good pitcher.  He was pretty tough on us the first time through the order,” said Nevada coach Gary Powers of the matchup against Wild.  “I can see why he has the numbers that he has.”

Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch was Reno Aces General Manager Rick Parr who played an instrumental role in the development of the exhibition game that will feature the Reno Aces against the Nevada Wolf Pack on April 6 at Aces Ballpark.

Pitching for the silver and blue in the home opener was Beau Witsoe, a senior that has gotten off to a slow start here in 2010. He entered the game with a 1-1 record and an 8.53 ERA in two appearances, and once again, Witsoe had to grind out another game today.  But like most of the Pack’s games this season,  players are picking each other. It was Nevada’s offense that provided Witsoe with the support he needed as five players had multi-hit games for Nevada. The Pack also stole seven bases.

Witsoe looked good early on retiring the side in order in the first.  He struck out Greg Noble on an outside change-up on a 2-2 count to kick the home season off for the Pack.  Witsoe showed some nice defense by hustling over to cover the bag on a grounder to first baseman Shaun Kort then got out of the inning on a nice barehanded play on a bunt attempt by Central Arkansas.

Nevada got on the board in their first at bat of the season at Peccole Park after Kevin Rodland led off with a triple to right field.  Rodland scored on a Westely Moss sacrifice hit to second base to put Nevada up 1-0.  Central Arkansas would strike back quickly in the top of the second as Nevada ran into some early trouble. After a Witsoe strikeout, Jake Fuller got things going for the Bears with a single to center.  Fuller wasted no time getting to second with a first pitch steal and then scored on a line drive single to left field by Clay Washington.

Central Arkansas loaded the bases after Nevada second baseman Cullen Mahoney couldn’t handle a flip from shortstop Rodland in an attempt to turn a double play.  Mahoney’s error was followed by  two walks that gave the Bears a 2-1 lead in the second.  Bears freshman Ethan Harris hit a hard single between third and short to score another run but the Pack would get out of the jam on a nice defensive play by Shaun Kort trailing 3-1 in the second.

Nevada threatened in the third with runners on first and second with two outs.  After Rodland reached on a slow roller down to third, Westely Moss followed suit as he laid a nice bunt down the third baseline.  Wolf Pack clean-up hitter Shaun Kort came up just a little short on a drive to deep right field as he flew out to end the inning.

Wolf Pack shortstop Kevin Rodland flashed his leather all afternoon and it was on full display in the top of the fourth.  With nobody out Rodland scooped a hard grounder and flipped it to Mahoney who fired over to first for the 6-4-3 double play.

Nevada struck back in the fourth when Brian Barnett ripped a double off the right field wall to start the inning.  Barnett tagged up and moved to third on a deep fly ball to center field by Brock Stassi.  After Nick Leid walked, he found himself caught between first and second in a rundown, but Central Arkansas played the opportunity poorly. As Leid was caught in the pickle, Barnett started inching down the line.  Bears second baseman Andy Fox committed the second error of the day trying to catch Barnett at third.  The throw skipped away from third and rolled into the dugout allowing Barnett to score and advancing Leid to third.  Leid scored on a ground ball to the right side of the infield by Ronnie Mitchell as the inning ended 3-3.

The Pack pulled ahead with a big six-run fifth inning.  Cullen Mahoney started things off with a single to center and would get to third when Moss ripped a single through the left side of the infield. After a Kort fielders’ choice Brian Barnett was hit by a pitch the bases were loaded with two outs.

With two outs Nevada chased Central Arkansas starter Michael Wild after giving up consecutive hits with the bases loaded.  Stassi ripped a line drive off Wild’s shin that scored two when the ball deflected into right field.  Third baseman Nick Leid came up with an opposite field double to the right field gap that scored two more to make it 7-3 Nevada.

The Pack ended the fifth with a 9-3 lead after Leid scored on a wild pitch and Ronnie Mitchell came home when the Bears failed to get the out on a double steal.  Nevada held the lead with some good defense from Mitchell.  Leid finished the game going 2-3 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI.

Pack starter Beau Witsoe was replaced with Jeremy Cole who got a strikeout to start the sixth.   Mitchell then showed great defensive range first going towards the gap to make a running catch and then ending the Bears sixth with a running catch towards the foul line.  Witsoe improved his record to 2-1 with two strikeouts while giving up three runs (one earned) on  four hits in five innings of work.

Nevada increased their lead in the sixth when Kevin Rodland scored on an error by Bears shortstop Bobby Pritchett on a hard hit grounder by Brian Barnett.  With runners on first and second Brock Stassi hit an RBI single to center to give the Pack an 11-3 lead.  A bloop single by Leid loaded the bases and a deep drive off the left field wall by Michael Turay unloaded them giving the Pack a 14-3 lead to end the sixth.

Local product Brian Barnett (McQueen HS) crushed a mammoth 3-run home run over the 380 sign on the left field wall to push the Pack lead to 17-3 in the bottom of the seventh.

Barnett went 2 for 4 with 4 runs and 4 RBI playing in his first game back in Reno. “It felt good, to do it in front of family and friends felt really good,” Barnett said of playing in front of the home crowd.

Central Arkansas struck back in the eighth when Tom Jameson came in to replace Jeremy Cole.  Jameson had a rough inning allowing three runs on two hits including a two run home run to Bears DH Chase Huchingson that made it 17-6.

Jerad Harvey replaced Jameson in the ninth inning and gave up two runs before recording an out.  The first run was unearned on a throwing error by Brian Barnett who moved from third to first to start the inning.  Central Arkansas tacked on two more runs to make it 17-10 but Harvey responded with a strikeout to end the game and get the victory for the Pack.

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