I-A SOFTBALL: Trojans top Eagles for title

Familiarity breeds contempt.

Pahrump Valley’s softball team lost twice to Boulder City in the regular season, but figured out how to beat the Eagles when it mattered most.

Whitney Roderick tossed a complete game with seven strikeouts and two walks, and teammate Amanda Pryor lashed a grand slam to propel the Trojans (23-13) to a 6-4 victory over the Eagles (25-7) in the Division I-A Southern Region championship at Faith Lutheran.

Both teams advance to the state tournament, which begins Thursday in Reno.

“Fourth time seeing Boulder, and they’re a great team, always competitive,” Pahrump coach Eli Armendariz said. “They’ve all been close, competitive games and that’s what we’re looking for heading into state.”

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Trojans got a bases-loaded walk from Deliah Polnau, followed by Pryor’s grand slam to left-center.

“I told myself I was going to redeem myself from not doing too well in my first at-bat,” Pryor said. “I got three balls and then she gave me one that was a meatball. I had to wait on it and it was mid-inside, down the middle and those are my favorite.”

It was Pryor’s second homer in as many games versus Boulder City.

“Amanda’s been great, and very consistent all year long,” Armendariz said. “I just tell her to stay back, what does she do, stays back, and the ball goes over the fence.”

The Trojans carried a 6-1 lead into the seventh before the Eagles rallied.

Boulder City had runners at first and third before a wild throw made it 6-2. With two outs, Charlene Masterson ripped a two-run double off the top of the right-field fence to make it 6-4 and bring the tying run to the plate, but Roderick retired Mikaela Brown on a fly out to right to end the game.

Roderick threw 124 pitches.

“I really wasn’t worried at all with Whit,” Armendariz said. “She was a little wild there towards the end, but I wasn’t worried that she wouldn’t finish the job.”

Lauren Koenig had two hits, a run and an RBI, and Kristal Kaiwi doubled for Pahrump.

Masterson was 2-for-4, and Jessica Embro added two hits and a run for the Eagles.