Faith Lutheran rallies for win, reaches softball title round — PHOTOS
McKenna Young singled home the go-ahead run to cap a two-run rally in the sixth inning, and host Faith Lutheran edged Centennial 3-2 on Wednesday in the Class 5A Southern Region softball tournament.
Young was 2-for-3, and her winning hit came after Jill Molnar’s RBI doubled tied the game. Ava Walker allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits and struck out eight in a complete-game win.
The win puts the Crusaders into the championship round and guarantees a spot in next week’s state tournament.
Centennial will be back in action at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at home, facing the winner of an elimination game between Arbor View and Green Valley that will be played at 2 at Centennial.
No. 2M Arbor View 9, No. 1M Shadow Ridge 1 — At Shadow Ridge, Ashlyn Whipple had three hits and drove in three runs, and five others had two hits apiece as the Aggies eliminated the Mustangs in a rematch of last year’s 5A Southern Region final.
Paige Kellogg homered and doubled for the Aggies, and Annie Finch allowed one earned run on five hits and struck out four in a compete game.
Hailey Morrow was 2-for-3 for Shadow Ridge, which won the last state championship awarded in the highest classification in 2019.
No. 1D Green Valley 11, No. 4D Coronado 6 — At Green Valley, Aspyn Beattie and Cindy Martinez-Escamilla both homered and drove in four runs as the Gators eliminated the Cougars.
Beattie was 4-for-4, and Martinez-Escamilla and three other Gators added three hits apiece.
Mary Lou Tsunis led Coronado with a home run and a double in four at-bats.
Class 4A
No. 5M Las Vegas 2, No. 4D Chaparral 1 — At Chaparral, the Wildcats won a pitcher’s duel over the Cowboys.
Las Vegas will play at Mountain League champion Bishop Gorman at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Chaparral will play an elimination game Friday.
No. 3M Tech 10, No. 6D Eldorado 0 (5) — At Tech, Aysia Sugat threw a five-inning no-hitter with eight strikeouts for the Roadrunners.
Tech will play at Spring Valley at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Eldorado will play an elimination game Friday.
No. 4M Durango 13, No. 5D Doral Academy 3 (5) — At Durango, Alyssa Geraldo was 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and four RBIs for the Trailblazers.
Durango will play at Desert League champion Silverado at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Doral Academy will play an elimination game Friday.
No. 3D Cimarron-Memorial 18, No. 6M Cheyenne 3 (4) — At Cimarron-Memorial, Destinee Lopez was 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBIs for the Spartans.
Cimarron-Memorial will play at Legacy at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Cheyenne will play an elimination game Friday.
Class 3A
Desert League champion Virgin Valley scored three runs in the sixth inning to rally past Mountain League champion Boulder City 8-6 and into the championship round.
The win guarantees the Bulldogs a spot in next week’s state tournament.
Pahrump Valley scored 15 runs in the second inning and whipped Clark 19-4, and Moapa Valley defeated SLAM Nevada by forfeit.
Moapa Valley will play Pahrump Valley at 2 p.m. Thursday, with the winner meeting Boulder City at 4:30. Both games will be at Boulder City.
Baseball
Class 5A
No. 1M Bishop Gorman 9, No. 1D Basic 6 — At Basic, Kaden Soder gave up two earned runs on five hits and struck out six in five innings of relief to get the win as the Gaels held off the Wolves.
The win guarantees Gorman a spot in the championship round and next week’s state tournament.
Easton Shelton was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for the Gaels, who led 7-0 before Basic rallied behind home runs from Mason Neville and Colin Hushaw.
Basic will play at home at 4 p.m. Thursday against the winner of a game between Faith Lutheran and Palo Verde that will be played at 1 at Basic.
No. 2D Palo Verde 3, No. 3D Centennial 0 — At Palo Verde, Tanner Johns threw six shutout innings with seven strikeouts, and the Panthers eliminated the Bulldogs.
Jason Schaaf pitched a perfect seventh for the save, and Zachary Helein was 2-for-3 for the Panthers. Cooper Brown was 2-for-4 for Centennial.
No. 2M Faith Lutheran 12, No. 3M Liberty 10 — At Faith Lutheran, Benjamin Lovering went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, and the Crusaders used a three-run sixth inning to eliminate the Patriots.
Michael Albanese was 3-for-4 with four RBIs, and Caden Richards got the win in relief by allowing one earned run in 2⅓ innings.
Brett Matson, Casey Kapushy and Jonah Shields each had three hits for Liberty.
Class 4A
No. 5M Tech 16, No. 4D Del Sol 6 (6) — Kentin Grantz drove in three runs, and the Roadrunners scored nine in the fifth inning to rout the Dragons.
Tech will play at 4 p.m. Thursday at Mountain League champion Legacy.
Del Sol will play an elimination game Friday.
No. 3M Foothill 17, No. 6D Mojave 2 (4) — At Foothill, Shawn Whalen threw a four-inning three-hitter for the Falcons.
Foothill will play at Bonanza at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Mojave will play an elimination game Friday.
No. 4M Durango 18, No. 5D Chaparral 2 (3) — Braden Dellinger had two doubles and a triple and drove in six in three at-bats for the Traiblazers.
Durango will play at Desert League champion Shadow Ridge at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Chaparral will play an elimination game Friday.
No. 6M Silverado 23, No. 3D Doral Academy 9 — At Doral Academy, Ryan Borozowski homered and added two doubles and four RBIs, and Rowdy Reid homered and doubled and drove in five for the Skyhawks.
Silverado will play at Sierra Vista at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Doral Academy will play an elimination game Friday.
Class 3A
Desert League champion Virgin Valley scored three runs in the third inning to take the lead and four in the sixth to put away Moapa Valley and advance to the championship round with a 10-2 win.
The win guarantees the Bulldogs a spot in next week’s state tournament.
Boulder City whipped Clark 15-5 in five innings, and Pahrump Valley edged SLAM Nevada 12-11.
Boulder City and Pahrump Valley will meet at 1 p.m. Thursday, with the winner meeting Moapa Valley at 4.
Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.