Northern champion and No. 1-seeded Truckee captured the Class 3A baseball state championship, rallying late to defeat The Meadows 4-3 on Saturday morning at Pahrump Valley.
Capturing their sixth state title and first since 2019, the Wolverines (23-11) were able to get the go-ahead runs across in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior Logan Arata reached on a sharp single to lead off the inning, advanced on a walk and a sacrifice bunt and then stole home to tie the game at 3-3.
Senior Calvin Curtis then scored a groundout by senior Jackson Wicks to give the Wolverines the lead.
The Meadows starting pitcher Killian Seip went 4⅔ innings, surrendering six hits, four earned and two walks. Senior James Nelson tossed a clean inning behind Seip, striking out the side on 17 pitches.
The Meadows (23-11) was held to four hits. The Mustangs scored via a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Ethan Schneiderman, a single by Aiden Brown and a bases-loaded walk by Seip.
Parker Bacon earned the win for Wolverines as the senior went three innings surrendering a hit and an unearned run while picking up three strikeouts.
3A softball
Fernley, the North’s No. 2 seed, defeated Northern champion Churchill County 4-2 at Pahrump Valley.
Capturing their seventh program state title and first since 2022, the Vaqueros (31-11) were able to hold onto a two-run lead for the remaining three innings to become champions once again. Churchill County finished 23-12.
Starting pitcher Janessa Robinson earned the win, as the junior gave up seven hits and two runs over 6⅔ innings of work.
Churchill County showed late life in the top of the fourth inning following a solo shot to left field from junior Janessa Betterncourt to cut the Vaqueros’ lead to two.
Robinson took the loss in a strong outing for the Greenwave over five innings, surrendering one earned run and striking out seven.
2A baseball
Rewriting last year’s script to capture the state title, Lake Mead Academy, the South’s No. 1 seed, was able to complete its near-perfect season by defeating the South’s No. 2 seed Needles 12-2 at Pershing County.
After losing to Needles in the last year’s state bout, the Eagles (26-1) were able to defeat the Mustangs (23-12-1) in back-to-back days to be crowned 2A state champions for the third time and first since 2023.
Lake Mead combined for 17 hits to earn the trophy. Senior pitcher Hunter Zierleyn led the Eagles, going five innings. Zierleyn and junior Danny Yates both had a three-hit games, while sophomore Cooper Garret and senior Bowe Farmer each drove in three runs.
2A softball
Earning its fifth straight 2A state championship, Needles, the South’s No. 1 seed, cruised to an easy 10-0 victory over South No. 2 seed White Pine at Pershing County.
In the program’s 17th state title, the Mustangs (27-6) wasted no time with the Bobcats (17-15), putting up 10 runs in four innings on 13 hits.
Audrina Bullchild only gave up two hits in circle, pitching five innings while accumulating seven strikeouts.
1A baseball
Indian Springs, the South’s No. 1 seed, soared past Smith Valley, the North’s No. 2 seed, to capture its sixth title and first since 2023 with the 16-1 blowout home win in four innings.
The Thunderbirds (23-5) fell to the Bulldogs (18-6) in last year’s title game. Indian Springs scored 12 runs in the first two innings.
Aiden Molina dealt for the Thunderbirds, as the senior went four innings, only allowing one earned run off of four hits.
1A softball
Pahranagat Valley’s Hadee Walch collected four hits to help the Panthers, the South’s No. 1 seed, defeats North No. 2 seed Wells 15-5 to claim the 1A title at Indian Springs.
After losing last year’s title game, the Lady Panthers (24-8) didn’t let this opportunity slip, as they scored seven runs in the first two innings. White Pine finishes 23-9.
Taking advantage of the Leopards’ six errors, the Lady Panthers scored eight combined runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Pahranagat Valley captured its 10th state championship and first since 2019.
Contact Jacob Powers at [email protected]. Follow @jaypowers__ on X
