McQueen softball in driver's seat

Kayla Stocker said she had waffles for breakfast Saturday morning. After her performance on the first day of the NIAA 4A State softball championship, the McQueen sophomore might want to make that a game-day ritual.

Stocker hit a three-run homer and a three-run double for a career-high six RBI to lead the Lancers to a 9-4 win over arch-rival Spanish Springs in a winner's bracket game at Carson High.

Coupled with a 2-1 win over Coronado in the opening round, the Lancers are the only undefeated team heading into today's action. McQueen will play again today at noon against the winner of today's Spanish Springs-Sierra Vista matchup which starts at 10 a.m. If McQueen loses at noon, another game will be played at approximately 2 p.m.

"It does put us there (the driver's seat)," Stocker said. "They have beaten us so many times this year, it was our turn to win."

Stocker didn't even start in the Lancers' opening win over Coronado, but she did deliver a basehit in the win, earning the start against Spanish Springs.

"If you hit the ball good, you're going to be in the lineup," Stocker said.

"She plays a real good left field," McQueen coach Stacy Baker said. "We were contemplating starting her, but I went with the senior instead. I feel comfortable with her. I know she can hit. I coached her during the summer (last year)."

Stocker's first big blow came in the top of the fourth with the Lancers trailing 3-1 after Rebecca Davidson's two-run homer off Kate Eshelman and a solo shot by Devin Steelman off Keri Noack.

With one out, Callen Oehlerking doubled to right field. She moved to third on Carly Allinson's infield single. Both runners scored on Stocker's three-run homer that gave the Lancers a 4-3 lead. Mallary Darby, the Spanish Springs ace, retired the next two batters.

McQueen made it 5-3 in the top of the sixth on Allinson's push-bunt single which scored Noack, who had doubled.

The Lancers unloaded on Darby in the seventh, scoring four times, three coming on Stocker's bases-loaded double. Noack drove in the Lancers' other run in the seventh.

Eshelman, who settled down after Davidson's two-run homer, was touched for a run in the seventh when Steelman doubled home Davidson, who had singled.

Eshelman fanned 12 and walked one.

Stocker and Oehlerking finished with three hits apiece, and Brittany Johnson, Allinson and Noack had two hits apiece.

The defending state champion Lancers are in the driver's seat, and beating Spanish Springs and scoring nine runs off Darby was a major deal, according to Baker.

In the opener against Coronado, McQueen trailed 1-0 after three innings on Berlynn Bagley's run-scoring double.

That was the last run Eshelman surrendered. She finished with 12 strikeouts in her route-going three-hit effort.

The Lancers scored two in the sixth on a run-scoring single by Oehlerking and an error by Coronado.

Noack and Johnson doubled for the Lancers, who finished with five hits off tough-luck loser Nyshele Miller, who finished with six strikeouts.

SPANISH SPRINGS 5,

SIERRA VISTA 2

The Cougars scored three in the first two innings off 15-game winner Becka Rumsey to grab the win.

Sierra Vista played without ace pitcher Kylee Kissane and coach Jerome Streets, who were suspended for the opening game because they flew to Reno instead of traveling with the rest of the team. The suspension was handed down by Clark County athletic officials.

Darby threw well for Spanish Springs, allowing three hits and striking out nine batters.

Darby had plenty of support, as the Cougars rapped out 13 hits. Steelman went 3-for-3 and Jaci Carlsen and Danah Pennington added two hits apiece.

SIERRA VISTA 13,

CORONADO 1

Kissane stopped Coronado on two hits, as Sierra Vista scored four in the first and seven in the third.

Tyler Aleman went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Aurora Pangallo went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Coronado scored its lone run in the bottom of the fifth. The game was stopped after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.