Experience on Foothill’s side

Foothill's softball schedule didn't include many off days this season.

While the rest of the Southern Nevada Class 4A teams averaged 25 regular-season games, the Falcons played an eye-popping 39 in a 56-day span from March 7 through May 1.

All that game experience could be a big asset for Foothill as it enters the Class 4A state tournament Friday.

The Falcons (22-21) will face defending state champion Spanish Springs (39-5) in a winners bracket semifinal at 10 a.m. at Bishop Manogue High School in Reno.

Shadow Ridge (24-1) and Reed (27-14) will meet in the other semifinal at noon. The championship of the double-elimination tournament is scheduled for Saturday.

Foothill and Shadow Ridge competed in the state tournament last season.

"All those games that we played earlier got everyone a lot of experience in different situations," Falcons coach Tom Mayes said. "You can't get that in practice. You can simulate it, but it's not game experience."

Foothill used that game experience to win the Sunrise Region tournament last week at Stephanie Lynn Craig Park.

After routing Rancho and Silverado, the Falcons won a close game against Las Vegas, then used a walk-off home run by Shelbie Medrano to beat Green Valley in the title game.

"We've had games where we've had a lot of hits and had some 10-run games, and there have been some close games," Mayes said. "With our (Nos.) 3 through 6 batters, I have confidence in them to come up with a clutch hit."

Medrano, a junior, is the team's top pitcher and hitter. The Falcons also have received significant contributions at the plate from seniors Brandy Yamka and Amber Stater and junior Amy Austin.

They'll need as many contributions as they can get against Spanish Springs, which hasn't lost to a Nevada team this year and boasts one of the state's top pitchers in Mallary Darby.

Darby had a streak of 71 consecutive scoreless innings snapped during last week's Northern Region tournament.

"The girls know they're probably going to face the best that the state has to offer," Mayes said.

This year's game experience won't be the only thing helping the Falcons. They also can draw on their experience from playing in pressure-packed games in last year's state tournament.

"It's definitely going to help, but now putting in the travel to go up there will be a little different thing to deal with," Mayes said.

Shadow Ridge also will draw upon last year's state tournament, in which it finished second to Spanish Springs.

"It definitely helps," Shadow Ridge coach Cynthia Winter said. "It's another situation, though, where we just have to take it one pitch at a time, stay together, play together and hope for the best."