Last weekend’s Northern 2A Regional Softball Tournament started out with West Wendover, Battle Mountain, Yerington and Pershing County – the top four teams in the 2A.
Ultimately, it came down to Yerington and Pershing County. The rivals played three games against each other at West Wendover High School.
Pershing County went 1-2 against the Lions, losing a winner’s bracket game 7-3 on Friday.
After beating Battle Mountain 7-2 in an elimination game on Saturday morning, the Mustangs beat the Lions 10-7 in the first championship game. Yerington came back to win the regional title 11-2 later on Saturday.
Yerington walked off with the trophy but had to fight for it.
A double elimination tournament allows a team to lose a game and still have a chance to win the tournament as a whole. That’s what the Mustangs tried to do. They almost made it.
“The girls played their hearts out this past weekend,” said Jordan McKinney. “They hit well, fielded well and I could not be more proud of what they did.”
Semifinal rounds
In Friday’s semifinal round, Yerington toppled West Wendover 17-2 and Pershing County beat Battle Mountain 7-4.
West Wendover lost to Battle Mountain in the losers semifinal 11-6. It was the Wolverines’ second loss and the end of the their tournament. And then there were three.
Final rounds
Meanwhile, Yerington and Pershing County battled in the winner’s bracket. Yerington pulled off the win (7-3), sending Pershing County into an elimination game against Battle Mountain. The Mustangs defeated the Longhorns (7-2).
The loss ended Battle Mountains postseason. And then there were two – Yerington and Pershing County.
Championship round and ‘if game’
The Mustangs won the first championship game against Yerington 10-7. But it didn’t end there. Pershing County fought their way back from the loser’s bracket, forcing what McKinney calls an ‘if game.’
“In a double elimination tournament, once you get to the championship game, if the team that came from the loser’s bracket wins, there is an ‘if game,’ because a team has to lose twice to be eliminated,” she explained.
Yerington won the ‘if game’ and the zone championship. The Mustangs are runners-up. However, it’s hard to be sad when you’re headed to Vegas to compete in the state championship tournament.
“It was good to see our bats come alive and the girls all hit the ball all the way down the lineup,” said McKinney. “Bela (Rosas) pitched most of the last game and did such an incredible job. That girl has so much fire and will to win.”
“I had never pitched a high school softball game before so I tried to the best of my ability,” said Rosas, a graduating senior.
Bishop Gorman High School hosts the 2022 NIAA 2A State Championship tournament beginning on Thursday and concluding on Saturday.
The competition includes Needles, Calif., and the Meadows School from the south and Pershing County and Yerington from the north.
The Mustangs' day starts with a 10 a.m. game against Needles (14-0), the top ranked team in the south.
