Virgin Valley baseball, softball teams advance to 3A title games
The Virgin Valley baseball team dispatched of rival Moapa Valley for the final time this season to reach the Class 3A state championship round, and its softball team will also play for the title.
Virgin Valley’s baseball team scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning in a 12-2 win over the Pirates in five innings at Fernley High School. Riley Price’s solo home run in the sixth inning was the difference in Virgin Valley’s 2-1 softball win over host Fernley.
Virgin Valley will meet Northern Region champion Truckee, which run-ruled Dayton 12-2 and doubled up Moapa Valley 8-4 in elimination games, at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fernley for the baseball crown. If Truckee wins, the teams will play another game with the title on the line.
The Virgin Valley softball team will meet Fernley at 10 a.m. Saturday and again if Fernley wins. Fernley held off North Valleys 7-5 in an elimination game. North Valleys shut out Boulder City 8-0 in the first elimination game.
Class 2A
The Meadows will play for its first 2A state baseball title, but it will need two wins Saturday to get it done.
The Southern Region champion Mustangs will meet Northern Region champion Yerington at 10 a.m. at Bishop Gorman, with a second game to follow if The Meadows wins.
Yerington beat The Meadows in a winner’s bracket game 5-1, despite being outhit 10-5 at College of Southern Nevada. Facing elimination against Lake Mead, Ben Garber and Aiden Otano were both 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs, and The Meadows grabbed a 14-4 win in six innings.
Lake Mead opened the day with a 10-2 win over West Wendover in an elimination game.
Class 1A
Indian Springs will need one win over Virginia City to claim the 1A title Saturday at Damonte Ranch High.
The Southern Region champion Thunderbirds will play Northern Region champion Virginia City at 10 a.m. and again for the title if the Muckers win.
Indian Springs dominated Virginia City 16-5 in six innings in a winner’s bracket game Friday before Virginia City scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to eliminate Pahranagat Valley, 15-14. Pahranagat Valley outslugged Smith Valley 19-11 in the first elimination game.
Softball
Class 2A
No team has won more state softball championships than Needles, and the Southern Region champion Mustangs are one win from adding their 14th.
Needles will meet Pershing County for the title at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bishop Gorman. The teams will play another game if Pershing County wins.
Needles blanked Northern Region champion Yerington 10-0 to reach the title round. Pershing County survived elimination games with a 13-3 win over The Meadows in six innings and a 9-5 decision over Yerington.
Class 1A
Southern Region champion Pahranagat Valley survived a 6-5 win over Coleville in an elimination game to reach the championship round.
The Panthers will face Northern League champion Wells at 10 a.m. Saturday at Damonte Ranch High, and the teams will play again for the title if they win the opener.
Wells beat Pahranagat Valley 15-10 in a winners bracket game, and Coleville opened the day by eliminating Tonopah 20-2 in three innings.
Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.