SMALL SCHOOLS: Schulz helps Wolverines answer questions, rally past Lake Mead

RENO — Henderson International’s softball team hadn’t trailed a Class 1A Southern League opponent all year.

So when rival Lake Mead took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning Friday, Wolverines coach Mimie Hall was curious to see how her team would respond.

Hailey Schulz answered to send Henderson International to the final round of the 1A state tournament, blasting a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth to spark the Wolverines to a 7-3 victory in a winners’ bracket final at Bishop Manogue.

“Somebody had to step up, and Hailey was the one that stepped up for us today,” Hall said. “Everybody followed suit. If one person gets going, everybody gets going.”

Henderson International (29-4) advanced to play Carlin (24-7) or Lake Mead (22-12-1) in the final of the double-elimination tournament Saturday at noon at Manogue.

Carlin and Lake Mead will play an elimination game at 10 a.m. If Henderson International were to lose the first game, a winner-take-all finale would be played at about 2 p.m.

Ashley Newton’s two-run single to left field gave Lake Mead a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth, but the Eagles were unable to hold on.

Schulz’s homer gave Henderson International a 4-3 lead, and the Wolverines tacked on three more runs in the sixth.

“I knew my team needed it,” said Schulz, a freshman first baseman. “It felt amazing. We started a rally after that, which got us all pumped up.”

Pamela Sakuma went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for Henderson International, and Schulz, Alyssa Ayers and Kendal Short added two hits each.

Lee Harrison pitched a three-hitter with eight strikeouts for the Wolverines.

Henderson International will play for the first and likely only state title in school history. The private school is expected to close at the end of the academic year for financial reasons.

“It’s what we’ve been working for all season, and we’re right in the position to win,” Schulz said. “This is it; this is the end of our school. We just have to go out there and take it.”

Henderson International 10, Wells 0 — At Manogue, Schulz fired a six-inning one-hitter with seven strikeouts to lead the Wolverines past the Leopards.

Harrison went 3-for-4 for Henderson International, and Ayers (three RBIs), Schulz (two RBIs) and Brittany Huff added two hits apiece.

Lake Mead 5, Carlin 1 — At Manogue, the Eagles scored two runs in the fourth and fifth innings to rally past the Railroaders and earn the first state tournament victory in program history.

Amanda Wellman tripled to left field to lead off the fourth inning and ignite the rally for the Eagles.

“They remember last year, and they didn’t want it to happen this year,” Lake Mead coach Kirk Pierzina said of an 0-2 exit from the 2009 tournament. “They just keep grinding and getting better every day.”

CLASS 3A

Boulder City softball coach Bruce Reid set three phases for his team at the beginning of the season — win a regular-season league title, win the league tournament, and capture a Class 3A state championship.

The Eagles are one win away from checking off the third item from their list.

Boulder City scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 3-1 win over Spring Creek in the winners’ bracket final of the 3A state tournament Friday at Bishop Manogue.

“Like one of the girls said, ‘Phase three is tomorrow,’ and that’s where we’re at,” Reid said.

Boulder City (33-2) will play either Dayton (16-13) or Spring Creek (24-11) in the final round of the double-elimination tournament at noon Saturday at Manogue. If the Eagles were to lose the noon game, a winner-take-all finale would immediately follow at 2 p.m.

Boulder City’s Alison Rants scored on an error to tie the game 1-1 in the sixth before Taylor McKeever’s single plated Paxton Fleming to take the lead. McKeever then came home on a passed ball for a two-run cushion.

Boulder City sophomore Karlee Koopman pitched a four-hitter with eight strikeouts.

The Eagles are hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when two losses to Fernley on the final day cost Boulder City its first state title since 1999.

“We’re excited to be there, but we know what it takes to do what we’ve got to do,” Reid said.

Boulder City 2, Dayton 0 — At Manogue, the Eagles scratched across two runs in the bottom of the third and held on to reach the winners’ bracket final.

Brittany Patt scored on a fielder’s choice and Melissa Stewart came home on an error for Boulder City’s two runs.

Koopman struck out six in a five-hitter.

CLASS 2A

Class 2A Southern League rivals Needles and Lincoln County each went 1-1 on the first day of the Class 2A state tournament at Carson High.

Now the two will face off for a shot at the state championship game.

Lincoln County (28-6) plays Needles (28-11) at 10 a.m. Saturday at Carson for a right to face Pershing County at noon.

Should Pershing County lose that game, a second game would be played to determine the state champ.

Lincoln County started Friday with a 16-2 win over Battle Mountain, but followed that with a 7-5 loss to Pershing County.

Needles played a pair of one-run games, losing 5-4 in eight innings against Pershing County, then edging Battle Mountain 3-2.