1A STATE: Thunderbirds’ McCormick catches on quickly
Indian Springs freshman Baylee McCormick played like anything but a newcomer when she stepped on the field for her first state tournament game.
McCormick went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs, and shortstop Heather Thormahlen supplied two hits, three RBIs and three runs as the Thunderbirds defeated Carlin 11-8 in the Class 1A state softball tournament Thursday at Sunrise Mountain.
Indian Springs (21-7) will face Tonopah (17-7) in the winner’s bracket final at 1 p.m. today, vying for a spot in Saturday’s 10 a.m. final.
McCormick, the Thunderbirds’ catcher, excelled despite being a bit nervous.
“In the beginning, I was,” she said. “But then I thought it’s just a game; we’re going to do good. Win or lose, we’re still a team, and I love them all.
“We made it to state, and have come so far. I don’t know what happened today.”
Thormahlen hit a two-run, inside-the-park homer in the first inning, but the Railroaders’ Tiffany Stocks smacked a bases-clearing triple in the second to give Carlin (14-8) a 3-2 lead.
Indian Springs took control with five runs in the bottom of the inning.
“That’s how the whole season has gone,” Thunderbirds coach Lynn Dale-Head said. “They step up every time we get down.”
McCormick keyed Indians Springs’ second-inning surge with an RBI double that scored Kristina Espinoza, who finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Thormahlen added a two-run single in the inning.
“This team is so unpredictable sometimes,” McCormick said. “We just know how to put the bat on the ball, and we work really hard in practice. We just believe.”
Brandi Bryl pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts to get the win for Indian Springs.
“As the end got closer, they started to relax a little bit and get in the groove,” Dale-Head said. “Brandi has been consistent all season.”
Stocks was 2-for-4 with four RBIs to spark Carlin, and pitcher Lacey Mathews went 2-for-3.
Tonopah 9, Wells 3 — The Muckers scored eight runs in the fourth inning to cruise past the Leopards.
Winning pitcher Britney Klapper went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI. Sydney Maughan added two runs and an RBI for Tonopah, and Alli Friel contributed a run and an RBI.
Margaret Wright was 2-for-3 with a run for Wells.
