Class 1A: Indian Springs fights back to win second straight title

Indian Springs’ baseball team isn’t one for doing things the easy way.

The Thunderbirds needed to win twice on championship day last season to capture their first state baseball title in 45 years.

So when Indian Springs needed to beat rival Pahranagat Valley twice Saturday to repeat as champions, there was no panic.

Isiah Jones scored from first when Lucas Vandever’s double to left field was misplayed with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Thunderbirds a 4-3 victory over the Panthers and their second consecutive Class 1A state title Saturday in Overton.

Indian Springs won the first game 6-4.

“I told these kids they can accomplish anything,” Thunderbirds assistant coach Jamie Molloy said. “They did it last year. They did it again last week when we won twice on the last day at regionals. They just woke up this morning and said ‘Let’s go do it.’”

Indian Springs (21-8-1), which squandered a lead in Friday’s winners bracket final before falling to the Panthers, led Saturday’s second game 3-1 before Pahranagat Valley rallied to tie the score 3-3.

“They didn’t back down. They didn’t put their heads down,” Molloy said. “We’ve had our doubts at times, but I don’t doubt these kids anymore.”

Jones led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to left field. Vandever ripped a double to left, and Jones raced home with the winning run.

“When we play Pahranagat Valley, they bring out the best in us,” Molloy said.

Jordan Flamm was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Thunderbirds.

Jaren Leavitt was 1-for-3 with two RBIs for the Panthers (21-5).

In the first game, Ryan Gertz went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs to help Indian Springs erase an early 4-1 deficit.

Jesse Jones was 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Pahranagat Valley.