On weekday mornings, Nevada Sports Net will recap three big headlines of the day in its Morning Download. Read below for today’s topics.
1. TJ Friedl to make MLB playoff debut after Reds reach postseason
Former Nevada outfielder TJ Friedl will make his MLB playoff debut after the Red reached the postseason Sunday despite a loss to the Brewers. Cincinnati still clinched the final wild card berth after the Mets fell to the Marlins. The Reds finished the year just four games over .500 (83-79) but earned a spot in the expanded playoffs and will face the Dodgers in a best-of-3 wildcard series starting Tuesday in Los Angeles. Friedl hit a solo dinger in Sunday’s game and finished the year hitting .261/.364/.378 with 14 homers and 12 steals in 152 games, posting 2.3 WAR.
2. Robby Snelling and Jumbo Shrimp win Triple-A title
No matter who won the Triple-A National Championship, a player with Northern Nevada ties was getting a ring (assuming they give out rings for winning Triple-A titles). But that ring (again, we’re assuming) is going to McQueen High alum Robby Snelling, whose Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp defeated Nevada Wolf Pack alum Kade Morris’ Las Vegas Aviators, 8-7, on a two-run walk-off dinger from Jacob Berry on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Snelling did not pitch in the playoffs as he appeared to be shut down in the middle of September after a fantastic season (9-7, 2.51 ERA in 25 starts). Morris pitched a gem, allowing just one run over seven innings, in a win in the Game 1 of the PCL Championship Series. He finished the year 9-10 with a 4.38 ERA in 28 starts.
3. Wolf Pack soccer earns first Mountain West point
Nevada women’s soccer earned its first league point Sunday with a 1-1 tie against San Jose State. Nevada got on the board first with Rylee Husted’s 49th-minute goal before San Jose State tied things in the 72nd minute. The game pitted the two MW teams with the worst record as both entered the match 1-7-1. The result ended Nevada’s six-game skid with the Wolf Pack (now 0-1-1 in the MW) next hosting Grand Canyon on Thursday. Meanwhile, Nevada volleyball fell at Colorado State, 3-0, on Saturday to drop to 4-8 overall and 0-2 in league play. It hosts rival UNLV on Thursday in its home opener in league play.