Boulder City closes in on ultimate objective

RENO -- 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, then capture a Class 3A state championship.

The Eagles are one win away from checking off the third objective.

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 today at Manogue. If the Eagles were to lose the noon game, a winner-take-all finale would begin at about 2 p.m. today.

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 give the Eagles 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 they were a doubleheader split against Fernley away from winning their first state title since 1999, only to lose twice on the final day.

"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 -- 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 1A

Henderson International hadn't trailed a Class 1A Southern League foe all year.

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

Hailey Schulz provided an answer to send Henderson International to the final round of the 1A state tournament.

Schulz blasted a solo homer to center field in the bottom of the fifth to spark the Wolverines to a 7-3 win in the 1A 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 either Carlin (24-7) or Lake Mead (22-12-1) in the final of the double-elimination tournament at noon today at Manogue.

Carlin and Lake Mead will play an elimination game at 10 a.m. If either team then beats Henderson International, a winner-take-all finale would be played at about 2 p.m.

Schulz's homer put the Wolverines ahead 4-3 before they 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."

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.

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 10, Wells 0 -- 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 -- 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.

Contact reporter Tristan Aird at taird@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203.