Two tough innings knock out Pahrump

RENO -- Two bad innings cost Pahrump Valley a chance to play for the Class 3A state softball title today.

The Trojans surrendered runs in only two innings of their two games Friday at Bishop Manogue High School, but those runs added up to two losses and elimination from the tournament.

Dayton scored twice in the fifth inning of the first game for a 2-0 win over the Trojans, who later gave up three runs in the top of the sixth inning of a 3-1 loss to Spring Creek.

"That's the way it goes," Pahrump Valley coach Preston Dockter said.

In the opener, Pahrump Valley senior Tori Thomas was locked in a pitching duel with Dust Devils freshman Mackenzie Cole through four innings.

Sierra Barnwell's two-out RBI single in the fifth broke the tie, and Mariah Collins followed with an RBI double.

The Trojans managed only one hit, a fourth-inning single by Christine Gamble.

The loss knocked the Trojans into an elimination game against Spring Creek.

Pahrump Valley senior Ashleah Barney appeared to be cruising along in the second game, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning before the Trojans' defense unraveled.

Spring Creek scored three runs on two walks and three errors, with all three runs coming across on the miscues, to take a 3-0 lead.

The Trojans battled back in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a bases-loaded walk to Christina Rodriguez, but left three runners on base.

"We have to see a lot of pitches, a lot of consistent pitching, and coming here and seeing teams we hadn't seen before, we really struggled to put the bat on the ball," said Dockter, whose team had five hits in the game.

Barney allowed a leadoff single in the seventh to spoil the no-hit bid.

Pahrump Valley graduates eight of the 13 players on its roster.

"Next year is going to be a big building year," Dockter said. "The experience here is a big building block. The girls we have coming back are going to know what it takes to compete at state."

In other games:

• Fernley 4, Spring Creek 3 -- Fernley scored twice in the seventh to advance to the winners bracket final.

• Dayton 3, Fernley 2 -- Dayton moved into the title game by building a 3-0 lead and holding off a late rally.