STOCKTON, Calif. -- On day two of the Libby Matson Tournament Saturday afternoon at Bill Simoni Field., the Pacific softball team earned a split, falling to Nevada and then earning a comeback victory over Idaho State in the nightcap.
 
Nevada 9, Pacific 3
 
Avery Croxall earned the start in the circle for the Tigers (6-12) and kept the Wolfpack (4-15) off the board through three innings, striking out three batters in the process. Behind Croxall's early success, the Tigers took the first lead of the game in the bottom half of the third inning. Carly Lucchetti ripped a double into the left-center field gap with two runners on, scoring Emily Budelli and Natalie Linker, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
 
Nevada recovered quickly and recorded nine unanswered runs in the next four innings to pull away. Trailing 9-2 in the seventh inning, Pacific tallied one run as Emma Dazell crossed home plate on a fielding error from the shortstop Gennah Sanchez, but the comeback was cut short shortly after.
 
"We did not play a quality game," Head Coach Brian Kolze stated after the game. "We didn't help ourselves offensively, pitching or defense, and they [Nevada] took advantage of every opportunity."
 
Pacific 2, Idaho State 1
 
Taking on the Bengals (9-10) for the second time in two days, the Tigers fell behind early as Amiyah Aponte earned the start in the circle. In a sloppy first inning, the Bengals scored the first run of the game due to multiple Tiger mistakes. After a leadoff walk from Brook Richards, a passed ball, a bunt single off the leg of Aponte, and a wild pitch plated Richards to give the Bengals a 1-0 lead.
 
Aponte kept the Bengals off the board for the rest of the game as she pitched a career-high seven innings, giving up four hits, one walk, and tallied two strikeouts. The sophomore has had success against Idaho State during her first two seasons with the Tigers, totaling 12 innings pitched, six hits, seven strikeouts, and zero earned runs in two appearances.
 
Pacific rallied and scored two unanswered runs in the third and sixth innings to solidify the win. Dazell recorded the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Marissa Fabian tallied her 11th hit of the season, a two-out RBI double to left field to put the Tigers up for good.
 
"We bounced back, and even though it was a struggle to score, it was a very competitive game," Kolze later said. "The energy from the team was better, and we played a much cleaner game." "I'm proud of Amiyah [Aponte] because she has struggled this season, but she's been improving."
 
Pacific returns to action on Sunday, March 6, as the Tigers conclude the Libby Matson Tournament, facing off against Seton Hall at Bill Simoni Field.