Ex-Greenwave stars thrive on college stage

As graduation headlines this weekend in the Lahontan Valley, five former Greenwave baseball and softball stars turned in another noteworthy season on the collegiate level.

Two former Fallon grads stars hung up their cleats for the last time in college. Kate (Pinder) Coffey (2008) pitched the best game of her collegiate career last month, while Charlie Hejny (2008) completed his second and final season in an adapted pitching role after starting off as a catcher in Texas.

Coffey hit her stride at Dixie State, a Division II school in Utah, as she kept her team alive in the conference tournament last month. She hurled a 15-inning gem to force a second game in the Pacific West Conference Championship against Cal State Dominguez Hills. She gave up only one run and wiggled out of many jams, which became her specialty this season. She started the year as a closer before becoming a starter.

Earlier in the tournament, Coffey threw another one-run masterpiece to keep her team alive in the consolation bracket against Sonoma State. She allowed eight hits and struck out three but relied on her clutch pitching to bail the Red Storm out of multiple jams. Sonoma State had the tying run on base twice before Coffey induced two groundballs to end the game.

She concluded the season with 104.2 innings and a 1.98 ERA. Coffey threw eight complete games, struck out 47 and finished with a 13-5 record.

Like Coffey, Hejny pitched for a Division II club as he came in relief for McMurray State this season.

Hejny posted a 5.18 ERA out of the bullpen as he appeared in a team-high 15 games and was second in saves with three. He threw 24.1 innings and struck out 12 for the War Hawks.

Sara Parsons (2009) turned in her best season at Nevada as the Lady Pack won 30 games for the first time in three years.

The junior outfielder started every game as she led Nevada with 41 RBIs, which ranks third on the all-time list. She was also the first Pack player to drive in more than 40 for since the 2009 season.

Her biggest highlight of the season came early in the Easton Desert Classic in Las Vegas when she belted grand slams in consecutive days against Idaho State and Portland State.

Coffey’s kid sister, Jill Pinder (2012), completed her first season with Lewis and Clark, a Division III school in Oregon.

Pinder was second on the team in ERA at 5.31 as she compiled a 4-5 record in 17 appearances. The two-time state champion had one complete game as she logged 54 innings and struck out 21 for the Pioneers. Pinder also swung the bat well for a pitcher, finishing with a .222 average and one RBI. She also had a .867 fielding percentage.

On the junior college diamond, Jenny Rechel (2012) helped Western Nevada win its first-ever postseason game last month and even had the No. 4 team in the league tournament on the ropes before falling in the elimination game.

Rechel finished the season with a .227 batting average and started all 59 games for the Wildcats. She collected 40 hits, including four home runs, as she drove in 26 runs. Rechel also had two stolen bases in three attempts.