SMALL SCHOOLS: Pitching mistakes send Needles past The Meadows in slugfest

Friday afternoon’s baseball game between The Meadows and Needles featured 22 hits and four home runs.

But it was The Meadows’ pitching that made all the difference.

Three pitchers hit four Needles batters and issued three walks during a six-run fifth inning as The Meadows dropped a wild 18-12 decision at the Class 2A Southern League tournament at Mountain View.

The Meadows (16-10) still has a chance to qualify for the state tournament, but The Meadows must defeat Lincoln County at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Needles takes on the winner in the title game at 11:30 a.m.

With the game tied at 12, Needles’ Bobby Stahel, Sam Grillo and Mason Cisneros all reached base when hit by a pitch, setting up the rally. The lone hit in the inning was a two-run single from Matt McAndrews.

“When you hit batters and walk batters against a team like Needles, you’re going to pay,” The Meadows coach Frank DeSantis said.

“Still, we battled and battled. Hopefully, we will re-group and come back and be ready to play.”

Needles left-hander Ryan Andrews stopped The Meadows offense after Brandon Thomas’ grand slam in a seven-run fourth.

Following Thomas’ blast, Andrews allowed only one hit and struck out four in the final 3 2/3 innings.

Stahel led Needles’ offense with a pair of home runs. McAndrews also homered for Needles (20-7), which had 13 hits.

Lincoln County 11, White Pine 0 — At Mountain View, Ryan Lloyd drove in four runs as the Lynx stayed alive in the tournament.

Lincolny County winninig pitcher Bruce Condie allowed only five singles, including three by White Pine’s Levi Valdez, and struck out 10. Alec Lloyd’s two-run single highlighted a five-run second that gave the Lynx (16-10) control.

The Meadows 10, Lincoln County 3 — At Mountain View, the Mustangs scored four runs in the opening inning and never looked back.

Garrett Gosse scattered four hits to get the win for The Meadows. Heath Gould and Ryan Wells homered for the Mustangs.

Condie and Lloyd drove in the Lynx’s three runs.

Needles 8, White Pine 1 — At Mountain View, Stahel had three hits, including a home run, for the Mustangs in the tournament opener.

McAndrews tossed a three-hitter to get the win for Needles.

The Bobcats (11-18-1) commited six errors in the loss.

CLASS 1A

Pahranagat Valley 12, Henderson International 3 — At Indian Springs, Dustin Hansen doubled and drove in three runs to lead the Panthers past the Wolverines and into the championship round.

Pahranagat Valley plays Henderson International at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with a second game to follow if necessary.

Charles Pachas went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI for the Wolverines.

Henderson International 7, Tonopah 3 — At Indian Springs, Pachas went 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs, and Keenan Gladd-Brown was 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs and an RBI to lead the Wolverines past the Muckers.

Cody Serfoss was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for Tonopah.

Tonopah 9, Beatty 8 — At Indian Springs, Serfoss hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to break a 6-6 tie, and the Muckers held on to defeat the Hornets.

Emmitt Davis went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI for Tonopah, and also struck out seven in six innings of relief to earn the win.

Isaias Flores and Jose Moreno each had two hits and two runs for Beatty.

CLASS 3A

Boulder City 8, Virgin Valley 6 — At Mesquite, Colton Schulz hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to break a 5-5 tie as the Eagles edged the Bulldogs to move into the championship game of the Class 3A Southern League tournament.

The teams meet again at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with a second game to be played at 1 p.m. if necessary.

Virgin Valley’s Tanner Tichenor hit a grand slam in the sixth to put Virgin Valley up 5-3, but couldn’t hold on.

Virgin Valley 12, Moapa Valley 8 — At Mesquite, the Bulldogs scored nine runs, all with two outs, in the bottom of the third to defeat the Pirates.

Boulder City 15, Moapa Valley 3 — At Mesquite, Ross LaMarca doubled twice, and the Eagles scored six runs in the bottom of the first en route to the easy win.