SMALL SCHOOLS: Pitching depth key for Boulder City baseball

Pitching depth isn’t easy to come by in high school baseball, especially at smaller schools.

But it’s a big reason why Boulder City enters the Class 3A state playoffs confident of its chances.

“It’s rare for schools our size to have three pretty good starters, and I think our relievers are good, too,” Eagles coach Bill Strachan said. “I feel good about our pitching.”

As the lone 3A Southern League school in the four-team field, Boulder City (16-11) opens the double-elimination tournament against North No. 3 seed Truckee (17-12) at 7 p.m. Thursday in Mesquite. The finals are scheduled for Saturday.

Boulder City has three capable starters in senior left-hander Jack LaMarca (6-2, 3.02 ERA), junior right-hander Nate Hafen (4-3, 3.59 ERA) and junior right-hander Thomas Shelley (3-2, 5.07 ERA).

LaMarca has done just about everything for the Eagles this season.

The 5-foot-10-inch southpaw has thrown six complete games, and leads the Eagles with 45 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings.

Also an outfielder, LaMarca is batting .575 with 11 home runs and 46 RBIs. He also leads the Eagles in runs (50), slugging percentage (1.230) and stolen bases (11).

LaMarca has been the catalyst behind the Eagles’ 10-game winning streak.

“At the beginning of the season, we started off rough, with a few guys hitting,” he said. “Now, it’s the whole team. It’s awesome to see how we’ve grown.”

Strachan said LaMarca and senior shortstop Nick Morelli, who is batting .371, have been crucial leaders for a team that had only three starters back from last season.

“Those two have been incredible. I can’t remember the last time I had leaders like those two,” Strachan said.

The Eagles are in the 3A state playoffs for the first time since 2006, when they won the championship.

The 2A state baseball tournament begins Thursday at The Meadows, with The Meadows (24-5-1) playing Yerington (23-9) at 1 p.m. and Needles (19-8) facing Whittell (21-11) at 4 p.m.

The 1A state baseball tournament opens Thursday at Sunrise Mountain, with Beatty (14-10) meeting Mineral County (22-6) at 1 p.m. and Pahranagat Valley (22-3) facing Carlin at 4 p.m.

In softball, Boulder City (29-4) begins the 3A state tournament against Spring Creek (18-10) at 10 a.m. Friday in Mesquite.

The 2A state softball tournament opens Thursday at The Meadows with Needles (22-9) playing Yerington (21-6) at 2 p.m. and Lincoln County (23-6-1) facing White Pine (19-13) at 4 p.m.

The 1A state softball tournament starts Thursday at Sunrise Mountain with Tonopah (15-7) facing Wells at 3 p.m. and Indian Springs (19-7) playing Carlin (14-7) at 5 p.m.