Nevada Softball’s Outstanding Freshman Pitcher

By: Cris Solano

Nevada Softball is heating things up with freshman starting pitcher Brooke Bolinger. Nevada Softball has been the talk in town and throughout the other sports teams on campus. People want to know who has them rolling in wins. Is Brooke the key factor to this great season?

Nevada’s first left-handed pitcher has had the pitchers mound on lock down all season with 104 strikeouts. Bolinger is lighting the Mountain West Conference up. Her pitching isn’t the only thing that helps the team but it’s her leading as a freshman that makes her really stand out.

“Brooke is a hard working individual that plays a big roll on our team,” said teammate Alyssa Mendez. “She is one of the humblest players I ever played with. What makes her so unique is that she has the same personality on and off the field.”

Nevada Softball has won 28 games with only 8 losses this season. Last season Nevada only won 16 games and lost 37. Bolinger has played a big role in the teams success. Every time Bolinger steps on that mound she makes sure she is doing her part in order to win games.

Bolinger stands a 5’8 and throws pitches that make the crowd go wild. After watching her throw that curve ball, the whole crowd knows it’s going to be a long day for the opposing team. Her 65 mph fastball is on another level. Every time that ball hits the catcher’s mitt it echo’s to the parking lot. She has an arm like a slingshot and doesn’t hold back for anyone. Bolinger set a career-high record of 10 strikeouts where she was named Mountain West Player of the week against the University Illinois Chicago. Those girls will never forget the damage the lefty put on them. Bolinger is no joke; she is the real deal.

Nevada Softball hit the jackpot when Bolinger signed her letter of intent to take her talents to the Wolf Pack. She has had the support from her mom and dad throughout her whole life.

“My mom and dad have pushed me to be the best since I first picked up a softball,” Bolinger said.

They aren’t the only two family members that inspire Bolinger. She has two older sisters who are both former players for UNLV and have always been role models to her. Is there tension in the household knowing your sisters are Nevada’s main rivals?

“They give me a hard time here and there but I have looked up to them my entire life,” Bolinger said.

Bolinger was born and raised in Yucaipa, California. Where she grew up loving the game of softball. She then attended Yucaipa High School and set multiple records on the pitchers mound. During those four years she was consider as the high sensation that colleges where talking about. She received multiple offers from huge Universities such as, Florida State, Oregon, LSU, Michigan, Cal and Oklahoma. Why Reno?

“The coaches really stood out to me and treated me very well. I also fell in love with the school and the weather,” Bolinger said.

Bolinger is not stopping at 104 strikeouts, she plans on helping her team win a Mountain West Championship and to beat every different pitching record there is at Nevada.

Let me tell you folks, after watching this sensational freshman pitcher there is nothing that will get in this young ladies way.

“When I step on that mound, I tell myself never give up, no matter what the outcome may look like. Play every play like it’s the last game I’ll ever play,” Bolinger said.