SMALL SCHOOLS: Eagles in top form, keep eyes on prize

The prize Boulder City’s softball team is really after remains the one that eluded it last year — a Class 3A state title.

But the Eagles won’t quarrel with a 3A Southern League championship.

Karlee Koopman pitched a five-inning one-hitter and hit a two-run home run in a seven-run third inning to lead Boulder City to a 14-0 rout of host Virgin Valley on Saturday in the title game of the league tournament.

“You’re trying to get the first step out of the way,” Boulder City coach Bruce Reid said. “This is what we were looking for. We give our girls three steps — the season, divisionals and then state — and we’re going to state.”

Boulder City (31-2) will open the state tournament against North No. 3 seed Dayton on Friday in Reno at a time and site to be determined.

Koopman, a sophomore, struck out four to help the Eagles win their 18th straight game.

Taylor McKeever went 3-for-4 and scored two runs for Boulder City. Teammates Alison Rants (two RBIs), Melissa Stewart (three runs) and Paxton Fleming (two runs) had two hits each.

Alexis Barnum had the lone hit for Virgin Valley (11-21).

Boulder City is gunning for its first state title since 1999. The Eagles needed only a doubleheader split against Fernley last year to win state but lost twice on the final day.

“If we’re on our game,” Reid said, “we’ll give everybody a battle.”

CLASS 2A

At Mountain View, Taylor Reifsnyder’s RBI single brought home Nicole Florence with the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as Lincoln County broke a 3-all tie and downed Needles 9-3 in the championship game of the Class 2A Southern League tournament.

Kori Gloeckner had a two-run single for the Lynx (27-5) in their six-run sixth inning.

Holly Laswell doubled twice for Needles (27-10). Both teams advance to the state tournament, which begins Friday in Carson City.

Needles 8, Lincoln County 5 — Alex Chandler hit a two-run home run, and Amy Bailey hit a pair of doubles to help the Mustangs force a deciding game in the tournament.

Needles led 6-2 after three innings, but the Lynx scored three runs in the fourth to close the gap to one before Chandler’s seventh-inning blast provided insurance.

Needles 9, White Pine 1 — Dakota Lillard allowed only one hit — a seventh-inning single — and struck out seven as the Mustangs advanced to the title game by downing the Bobcats (18-15).

Needles’ six-run fifth-inning gave Lillard plenty of cushion.

CLASS 1A

At Indian Springs, Lee Harrison tossed a one-hitter as Henderson International blanked Lake Mead 8-0 in the 1A Southern League title game.

The Wolverines (27-4) led only 2-0 after four innings but scored three runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to pull away.

Pamela Sakuma went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double for the Wolverines. Brittany Huff was 3-for-4 with a triple, and Kendal Short added three hits for Henderson International, which got two hits apiece from Natasha Chapman and Ashlyn Barela.

Lake Mead (21-11-1) also advances to the state tournament, which begins Friday in Reno.