DIVISION I-A SOFTBALL: Zufall, Crusaders fight off Chaparral

Kelly Zufall likely has had hundreds of hits in her softball playing days.

She’s had hits that looked much prettier than her sixth-inning single Thursday, but maybe never one that meant more.

The Faith Lutheran senior center fielder fought off an inside 2-and-0 pitch with the bases loaded and one out, and looped it into short right field to break a 2-2 tie and lift the Crusaders to a 9-2 win over Chaparral in an elimination game of the Division I-A state softball tournament at UNLV’s Eller Media Stadium.

Faith Lutheran (22-14) stayed alive after losing earlier in the day and will meet either Churchill County (25-11) or Fernley (30-8) at 11:15 a.m. Friday.

“That was big to be able to send the runners around,” said Faith Lutheran coach John Chilman. “That’s what seniors do. They’re just always expecting to win. For them, it’s not just end of season, it’s the end of the career.”

Faith Lutheran had just four hits in the first five innings and trailed the Cowboys 2-1 entering the sixth, but a bases-loaded single to left by Vanessa Valdez plated Rachel Kerr with the tying run and set the table for Zufall.

“I kind of like high pitches,” Zufall said. “She threw me two balls and the next pitch was up and in, and I said 'I might as well swing,’”

The result was a two-run single, chasing home Claire Peck and Bri Yee.

Mandy Young added an RBI ground out, and Lauryn Lipe ripped a run-scoring double and later came home on an error as the Crusaders plated six runs in the inning.

“They believe in themselves,” Chilman said.

Valdez and Zufall added RBI hits in the seventh to cap the scoring.

It was more than enough for senior Stacie Graham, who bounced back from a rough outing in a 10-3 loss to Churchill County in the day’s second game to toss an eight-hitter with five strikeouts.

“It’s easy to play behind her,” Zufall said. “When Stacie puts it there, she puts it in there, and she trusts us on defense. We know that we can make the play.”

Nicole Lesniak was 3-for-3 for Chaparral (17-12).

Churchill County 10, Faith Lutheran 3 — Kasey Archer and Megan McCormick each had an RBI triple as the Greenwave scored four times with two outs in the fourth inning and pulled away from Faith Lutheran in a first-round game.

Ali Tedford went 2-for-3 and scored three runs for Churchill County, which will face Fernley in the winners’ bracket final at 9 a.m. today.

Alex Wright was 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs for Faith Lutheran.

Fernley 10, Chaparral 0 — Taylor Hires-Caulk’s two-run double highlighted a four-run top of the first inning as the Vaqueros took control early and never looked back in a first-round game.

Bailey Henderson went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and two RBIs for Fernley.

Vaqueros’ pitcher Hayley Mull tossed a three-hitter.

Sara Tucker tripled for Chaparral.