Nelson is pitch perfect as reliever in Wildcats’ tourney-opening win
Officially, Kristina Nelson couldn’t be credited with a perfect game Monday.
In reality, though, the Las Vegas senior pitcher couldn’t have been any better.
Nelson came on in relief and struck out all nine batters she faced as the Wildcats held on for a 4-2, five-inning win over Spring Valley in their opening game of the Charger Invitational softball tournament at Big League Dreams Sports Park.
“They couldn’t touch her,” Las Vegas coach Kelly Lindahl said. “We needed her to come in and shut them down, and she did.”
The win helped the Wildcats (8-4) finish first in their pool Monday, and Spring Valley (6-2) was second.
With Las Vegas leading 3-1 in the third inning, Spring Valley put runners at the corners with nobody out, and Nelson was summoned to replace fellow senior Brooke Booth in the circle.
The Grizzlies executed a double steal on Nelson’s first pitch, with Jina Miyamoto coming home. Nelson, though, struck out Martinese Robertson and Georgi DeLio on riseballs and Ellie Endsley on an 0-2 curve to end the threat.
Nelson struck out the side on 10 pitches in the fourth and needed 12 pitches to repeat the feat in the fifth. In all, Nelson threw 29 of 35 pitches for strikes.
Lindahl has used Nelson more in relief this season than last when the two pitchers’ roles often were reversed.
“We’re still trying to find our way,” Lindahl said. “We’re just trying something different.”
The Wildcats scored two unearned runs in the first and tacked on another in the second. Sam Taylor’s two-out home run in the fourth provided extra cushion. Taylor went 2-for-3 and was the only player on either team with more than one hit.
Robertson took the loss despite allowing only one earned run in four innings.
Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-5230.