Fernley wins first state softball title

Share this: Email | Facebook | X

Fernley High scored 10 runs in its first three at-bats en route to a 10-2 victory against Lowry on Saturday - and the school's first-ever state softball championship.

Fernley won three straight games in the NIAA3A Tournament, topping Lowry ace Amber Huisch in the last two contests. Lowry came in as the defending state champion.

"She's (Huisch) a good pitcher," Fernley coach Diane Chapin said. "We made her throw 37 pitches in the first inning. We had a lot of girls go deep in counts."

In the first inning, Sevreana Johnson singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came around to score when Huish walked three straight hitters.

The Vaqueros added three in the second to take a 4-0 lead on a run-scoring double by Johnson plus run-scoring singles by Jayme King and winning pitcher Heather Mathews.

In the third, Frances Estrada singled home a run, Nicole Whitney hit a three-run double and Mathews helped her cause further with a two-run single.

Mathews had another strong outing. She was perfect for 4 1/3 innings and then allowed a double to right and a two-run homer to Sam Rice.

"She (Mathews) threw real well," Chapin said. "She was working a lot on the inside." Chapin said Mathews was never in any danger after Rice's homer.

"I don't think she had a trouble count at all," Chapin said. "I think the deepest she went was 2-2."

Estrada led the Vaqueros with three hits, while Johnson and Annie Lowery added two apiece.