By James Hernandez

Fresh off a four game split at home versus the Colorado Northwestern Community College Spartans, Southern Nevada softball set its sights on Price, Utah and a conference clash with the Utah State University Eastern Eagles. 

Breanna Alvarez was in the circle in game one, off a complete game victory that saw the sophomore surrender just one run and fan seven Spartans in her most dominant outing of the season. USUE managed to plate four runs in a rough bottom of the first for CSN, creating a deficit that was too much to overcome.

Despite long balls off the bats of Bailey Pepper (1 RBI) and Haley Kassel (2 RBI) in a three-run top of the third inning, the offense was not able to produce enough scoring opportunities to threaten the Eagles in game one of the series. Utah State Eastern plated seven runs in its final two innings of play to run-rule Southern Nevada 11-3.

The loss dropped CSN to 3-6 in conference play and 5-15 overall.

Game two featured freshman Karen Hernandez in search of her second victory of the season and first away from the comforts of home. Fortunately for Hernandez, the bats were on fire from the jump!

The Lady Coyotes plated ten runs in the first four innings at the dish, thanks to round trippers off the bats of Breanna Alvarez (4 RBI), Elise Bush (1 RBI) and Bailey Pepper (5 RBI) twice. The Eagles attempted to rally back into the game, but the combination of freshmen Karen Hernandez and Kayla Bello pitched well enough to get Southern Nevada to the winners circle.

CSN dropped USUE 12-10, improving to 4-6 in SWAC play and 6-15 overall.

After splitting the first two games of the weekend, Coach Johnston gave the ball to sophomore Kristie Thomas as the team searched for consecutive victories for the first time in 2019.

Unfortunately for Thomas, she and the Lady Coyotes were blitzed for a dozen runs by the Eagles after just three innings.

A shell-shocked Southern Nevada team was only able to collect three hits and one run over five innings of offense. Elise Bush deposited a solo-shot in the top of the fifth (her second round-tripper of the weekend) to keep USU-E from the shutout. The Eagles dropped the Lady Coyotes 12-1 in game three of the series.

CSN dropped to 4-7 in the SWAC and 6-16 overall in 2019.

With a weekend split hanging in the balance, sophomore Breanna Alvarez got the start in the series finale looking to redeem herself from a subpar game one start. Alvarez was dialed in from the opening pitch, firing six innings and allowing just one earned run.

A scoreless first four innings with the bats found the Lady Coyotes trailing 3-0 heading into the top of the 5^th inning. Bailey Pepper's fourth home run of the weekend in the fifth ignited a five run frame that left the Lady Coyotes just six outs from a weekend split.

The Eagles took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but Patricia Galtieri added a pair of runs batted in with a double in the top of the seventh to provide Southern Nevada a 7-6 lead. Karen Hernandez fired a scoreless bottom of the seventh to secure her first save of the season and preserve the series split for Coach Johnston and the Lady Coyotes.

CSN outlasted USUE 7-6, improving to 5-7 in conference and 7-16 overall.

Fans your Lady Coyotes will host the 9^th ranked SLCC Bruins March 29^th and 30^th in a SWAC showdown.

For game times, ticketing options and live updates all weekend log onto www.csncoyotes.com or follow us on Facebook CSNCoyotes and Twitter @CSN_Softball.