Small schools: White Pine outlasts Lincoln County

Lincoln County’s offense got the better of White Pine in a slugfest in an April non-league game.

The Bobcats got their revenge Thursday.

White Pine scored 13 runs in the final four innings to roll to a 15-10 win over the Lynx in the opening round of the Class 2A state tournament at The Meadows.

White Pine (27-4) will face Needles (23-6-2) in the winners’ bracket final at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Needles was a 14-9 winner over Silver Stage.

“There were nine or ten homers last time, and it was another home run derby today with the wind reeking havoc,” White Pine coach Mike Romero said of his team’s 20-18 loss to Lincoln County last month.

Sophomore Eva Kingston led the offensive uprising Thursday, going 5-for-5 with two leadoff home runs, two stolen bases and four runs scored. The Bobcats trailed 2-1 and 3-2 before taking the lead for good with a four-run fourth inning, keyed by Maleana McKnight’s three-run homer and Kingston’s second solo blast over the left field fence.

White Pine added three runs in each of the final three innings, using a home run by Haley Norton and RBI doubles by Brenna Williams and McKnight.

“My coaches have given me the tools and taught me how to use them,” Kingston said. “They’ve been working on me with not dipping and to have faster hands. That’s what I did, and it just felt right today.”

McKnight went 3-for-3 with a walk, a run, and five RBIs, and teammate Karleigh Romero contributed a walk, two hits, and two runs.

Macie Howard homered, and Ava Pearson supplied a three-run single for the Lynx (21-8), who will meet Silver Stage (23-5) in an elimination game at noon Friday.

Class 3A

Pahrump Valley edged Lowry, 6-5 in the opening round of the Class 3A state tournament in Mesquite.

The Trojans (28-9) will face Fernley (24-9) in the winners’ final at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Lowry (19-15) will face Moapa Valley (22-9) in an elimination game at 2 p.m. Friday.

Fernley 11, Moapa Valley 1 — McKenna Montgomery spun a five-inning four-hitter to guide the Vaqueros by the Pirates.

Colby Johnson was 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple and three RBIs, and Natalie Stewart was 2-for-3 with two runs for Fernley.

Lainey Cornwall was 2-for-2 for Moapa Valley.

Class 1A

Mariah Zander tossed a four-inning no-hitter to lead Pahranagat Valley to a 15-0 win over Coleville in the opening round of the Class 1A state playoffs in Overton.

Zander struck out five and walked two to help the Panthers (24-2) move into the winners’ final where they’ll face Smith Valley (14-6) at 2 p.m. Friday.

Rebecca Taylor was 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs, and Morgan Harris was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs for Pahranagat Valley.

Coleville (15-7) will face Tonopah (5-11-1) in an elimination game at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Smith Valley 6, Tonopah 5 — Cassidy Still was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI to help the Bulldogs hold off the Muckers.

Tayler Gudmunson was 3-for-4 with a solo home run, and Hannah Dowers was 3-for-3 with an RBI for Tonopah.