Stassi pitches Wolf Pack past Saint Mary's, 3-1

There doesn't seem to be anything that Brock Stassi can't do to help the Nevada Wolf Pack baseball team win.

Stassi, who was named the Western Athletic Conference's Hitter of the Week on Monday morning, came out a few hours later and pitched the Wolf Pack past the Saint Mary's Gaels, 3-1, in Moraga, Calif., at Louis Guisto Field.

The junior left-hander pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless relief and allowed just three hits in recording his first victory of the season. He struck out one and didn't walk a hitter.

"Stassi was very sharp," Wolf Pack coach Gary Powers told 1450-AM after the game.

Stassi, who also had two hits and a walk as the Pack's designated hitter, dominated the Gaels' hitters. Saint Mary's came into the game having scored 16 runs in splitting two games with San Jose State this past weekend.

"Our pitching really did a nice job and we needed it," Powers said.

The Wolf Pack took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning as Michael Turay reached base on a two-base error with two outs. The Pack catcher scored on a single to center by Cullen Mahoney for the early lead.

Saint Mary's, though, tied the game at 1-1 with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning against Pack reliever Jayson McClaren.

The Wolf Pack went ahead 2-1 in the eighth inning as Turay singled and Mahoney doubled with one out. Turay scored the go-ahead run on a ground out to third by Kevin Rodland.

The Pack added an insurance run in the ninth as Shaun Kort walked, went to second on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a ground out to second by Garrett Yrigoyen.

Mahoney, who came into the game with just one hit in seven at-bats on the young season, went 2-for-3 from the ninth spot in the Pack's batting order.

Reed High graduate Chris Garcia pitched the first three innings for the Pack. The left-hander didn't allow a run on two hits and struck out three.

Garcia worked out of a jam in the first inning after Saint Mary's had runners on second and third with one out.

"It was good to see Chris Garcia back on the mound," said Powers of Garcia's season debut. "He got a little tired but it was just good to see him back in the groove. He just needs to build his endurance back up and he'll be fine."

Stassi, who was named the WAC Hitter of the Week after going 9-for-11 with two homers and five RBI this weekend at Santa Clara in three games, had a chance to blow the game open early with his bat but came up short.

The Pack had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh inning but Gaels' relief pitcher Alex Schmarzo came on to strike out Stassi and Yrigoyen. Stassi also flew out to center with the bases loaded to end the Pack third inning. The Pack also had runners on first and second in the second inning but didn't score.

The Wolf Pack closed out its season-opening road trip with a 3-1 record. Saint Mary's, which is coached by Reed High graduate Jedd Soto, is now 1-2. The two teams will also meet March 10 in Reno at Peccole Park.

"This team is working hard," Powers said. "Any time you win on the road you have to feel good about it. This was a good game for us to win."