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DIVISION IV SOFTBALL: Pahranagat Valley wins twice to claim crown

The task was tall for Pahranagat Valley’s softball team heading into the Division IV state final Saturday.

Win two consecutive games, or go home unsatisfied. The Panthers wouldn’t be denied.

Pahranagat Valley got two strong pitching performances by sophomore Ashlyn Wadsworth, and used a small-ball approach in the second game to beat Wells 3-2 for the Division IV state title at Shadow Mountain in Sparks. It was the school’s fourth consecutive state championship.

“They knew what they had to do, and they came out and did it,” Pahranagat Valley coach Mike Sparrow said. “They’ve been preparing all year for this opportunity. We don’t talk about it a lot, but we have high expectations. And they do, too.”

After defeating Wells 15-3 in the first game Saturday, the Panthers leaned heavily on Wadsworth to seal the deal in the second game in a pitchers’ duel.

Wadsworth, who also pitched a complete game in the opener, tossed a five-hitter with five strikeouts to outshine Wells’ Katlyn Del Rio.

Wadsworth walked one and allowed one earned run for the Panthers (27-8).

“She was keeping them off balance with her off-speed (pitches) and hitting her spots,” Sparrow said. “She threw a few screwballs to come inside. They hit a lot of foul balls and that was by design. She doesn’t throw very hard, but she hits her spots.”

Alyson Egbert scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Karley Whipple. Egbert, who reached on a single to left field, advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Allyse Frehner.

Whipple had two of the Panthers’ five hits.

“When you’ve got a team with speed, you’ve got to use (small-ball),” Sparrow said. “When they’re not putting the ball in play like they usually do, we’ve got to use it. …

“This (state final) definitely had a different feel to it because it was such a tight game. That one play can change the dynamic of the game. It was good to see our kids play under the pressure and respond.”

In the third inning, the Panthers scored a run in a very similar fashion to the sixth. Whipple singled, advanced to third base on a bunt and then scored on a wild pitch to go up 2-1.

“We have a lot of depth, and we were probably the best team set up to win two games,” Sparrow said. “My girls listened and made some adjustments today.”

Del Rio gave up three runs — one earned — and struck out four for Wells (23-8-1).

Laila Jackson was 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Leopards.

In the first game, the Panthers scored in every inning except the sixth to cruise by the Leopards.

Madison Harris was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and Madalyn Taylor was 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Panthers, who finished with 10 hits.

Del Rio and Sam Shamblin each had an RBI for Wells.

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