REGION SOFTBALL: Hemphill helps Crusaders slide into title game

Rachel Kerr’s slow roller to second base with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday plated pinch-runner Breanna Hemphill with the winning run as host Faith Lutheran’s softball team rallied for a 6-5 win over Boulder City in the losers’ bracket final of the Division I-A Southern Region Tournament.

Faith Lutheran (21-12), which defeated Cheyenne 6-5 in Thursday’s first game, qualified for next week’s state tournament and will face Chaparral (16-10) in the region final at 5 p.m. Friday at Faith Lutheran. The Crusaders would need to beat Chaparral twice on Friday to win the region title.

The Crusaders trailed 5-3 entering the inning, but consecutive walks to Vanessa Valdez and Kelly Zufall started the rally.

Mandy Young’s groundout moved both runners up a base, and Alex Wright’s double off the fence in left-center tied the game.

Hemphill ran for Wright and moved to third on Lauryn Lipe’s single to shallow right.

Kerr hit a dribbler to second, and Hemphill started down the line before hesitating and thinking about going back to third. With Lipe headed to third, Hemphill broke for home and slid around the tag of Eagle catcher Jessica Holling.

“She made a great hook slide,” said Faith Lutheran coach John Chilman. “If she’d have slid normal, she would have been out. She slid around the tag and did great to score the winner.”

Kerr was 2-for-4 with two runs, and Wright doubled twice for Faith Lutheran.

Stacie Graham allowed seven hits en route to her second complete game of the day.

“That’s just senior leadership with the fact that she was able to pitch great both games,” Chilman said. “Every inning I was warming up Kerr, and I said ‘Graham, how you doing?’ She’d say ‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’ Unflappable ... that’s what seniors do.”

Kasey Ochoa was 3-for-4 for Boulder City (27-9) which scored three runs in the sixth to take the 5-3 lead.

In the earlier game, Claire Peck smacked a walk-off double down the left field line in the bottom of the seventh that scored Bri Yee and pushed the Crusaders past the Desert Shields.

Trailing 5-2 in the fifth, Faith Lutheran tied the game with RBI singles from Zufall, Lili Bonora, and Samantha Jack.

Young was 3-for-4 with a run for the Crusaders.

Megan Ingram went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs for Cheyenne (20-14-1), and teammate Jahnae Davies was 2-for-4 with a two-run triple.

DIVISION III SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Dakota Lillard went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBIs, and teamed with Abby Chandler on a one-hitter as Needles opened the Division III Southern League tournament with a 22-2 win over host Mountain View in five innings.

Melanie Leslie-Merchain was 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, and Demi Limon went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Mustangs (21-6), who used a 12-run second inning to put away the Saints (8-16).

Needles will face Lincoln County (19-2) in the winners’ bracket final at 2 p.m. Friday.

Mountain View will meet Laughlin (9-15) in an elimination game at noon.

Lincoln County 12, Laughlin 0 — Elle Scott and Aspen Wilkin combined on a one-hitter to help the Lynx top the Cougars in five innings.

DIVISION IV SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Kennedy Huntsman was 3-for-4 with two triples, two runs and an RBI and picked up a pitching victory to lead Pahranagat Valley to a 12-6 win over Tonopah in the Division IV Southern League tournament in Alamo.

Monica Heredia went 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs for the Panthers (17-5), who scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to break a 5-5 tie.

Deanna VanPoucke was 4-for-4 with a double and a solo home run for Tonopah (3-6).

Indian Springs 17, Sandy Valley 0 — Hannah Thormahlen went 4-for-4, and Heather Thormahlen threw a two-hitter as the Thunderbirds (14-5) routed the Sidewinders (0-10-1).