The Oasis Academy softball team defeated Pahranagat Valley in a best-of-three series on Saturday for the Class 1A Invitational title and the school’s first team championship.
Story and Photos by Thomas Ranson
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
YERINGTON – Official or not, a state banner is going up.
In its second year of eligibility, the Oasis Academy softball team was perfect from Day 1. Behind the nucleus of their five seniors, including star pitcher Emily Payne, the Bighorns dominated the competition during the regular season and flexed their muscles more so this past weekend with a championship on the line.
After defeating Wells, 3-0, in Thursday’s semifinal, Oasis Academy swept Pahranagat Valley, 3-2 and 6-1, in Saturday’s Class 1A Invitational at Pat Peeples Softball Field.
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Oasis Softball Championship
In its second year of eligibility, the Oasis Academy softball team was perfect from Day 1. Behind the nucleus of their five seniors, including star pitcher Emily Payne, the Bighorns dominated the competition during the regular season and flexed their muscles more so this past weekend with a championship on the line.
Before a pitch was thrown, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association announced last summer that no state titles would be contested because of the pandemic. Instead, the season was cut to six weeks, and the northern and southern regions would not crossover for the championship.
But none of it mattered to Oasis Academy.
Saturday’s best-of-three series was for state supremacy.
“We were playing the first in the North and the first in the South. To us, it doesn’t get any more of a state championship than that,” Bighorns coach Rachel Payne said. “I know the (NIAA) will recognize the win. We were all playing and treating it as a state championship. We’re just so excited. We’re really grateful that (Pahranagat Valley) came up here. They drove a long way to come up here and play. We would have gone down there, but it worked out and we are glad that we had the opportunity to play.”
Oasis Academy relied on its ace to bring home the championship, but coach Payne got more. The lineup, from top to bottom, contributed at the plate and the defense stepped up to knock off the Panthers, a staple in the state tournament.
“I was really happy with the bottom of my lineup, too. They really stepped up and performed at the plate and on the bases,” Payne said. “It was solid from top to bottom. It was more than just a pitch-off. It was a great competition.”
The Bighorns, who saw their season cut short last year because of the pandemic, finished the season with a 15-0 record, including seven shutouts.
For Emily Payne and her senior teammates Callie Perez, Emma Robinson, Kate Rios and Erin Wachsmuth, the championship season was the perfect ending to a bizarre senior year.
“It was a pretty great finish to a pretty great season,” said Payne, who outdueled Pahranagat Valley’s Jersey Tsosie in both games. “It was fun that we were all able to come together and that it brought us all together.”
The game was special for Perez, who played the best game of her career, driving in a trio of runs in the second game.
“To come out here and play Pahranagat, and they’re really good competition, it was amazing,” she said. “We’ve had several perfect seasons on the four years that I’ve played. This year, it’s just mind-blowing to have an opportunity to be on this team and to go out undefeated feels amazing.”
Facing the top of the lineup in the final inning, Payne induced a groundball against Castleton and proceeded to throw the ball to Perez at first for the first out. Taylor flied out on the next pitch to Payne before Tsosie reached on an error when the ball popped out of second baseman Ellie Bird’s glove in the middle of the infield. Payne, though, struck out Connell with a high fastball to clinch the championship.
“It was kind of scary at first when we were losing,” Payne said about battling deficits in both games. “It’s kind of fun to end it that way with a strikeout. It’s always the most fun way to finish the game. It was exciting to finally get here. For us, it’s a pretty big accomplishment. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Adding to the excitement and celebration was being able to enjoy the win with her mother and grandfather and assistant coach, John Short.
“That’s pretty exciting,” she said. “I’ve been playing with her since I was 5 years old so it’s pretty nice that it all comes together. It shows how hard we really worked over the years.”
Coach Payne was overcome with excitement to be able to share the moment with her daughter and her teammates.
“I was really happy in the last inning. The last out of the game was a strikeout – she made all three outs – and that was pretty special,” she said. “It is really hard since she’s a senior and graduating and especially since we didn’t get the full four years of softball. It’s sad and bittersweet. I love this team. The team stepped up and it’s great the support they gave to Emily. It’s a great group of girls. They got along great. They supported each other. There was nobody who acted better than anyone else. I’m just proud of this team.”
Pahranagat Valley grabbed the first lead of the second game in the opening inning after Ryanne Castleton led off with a single to center. Becca Taylor lined a single into left to score Castleton. Payne, though, retired the next three with a pair of groundouts and an infield flyout.
Oasis Academy wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first inning.
After Rios and Ellie Bird singled and doubled, Perez belted a two-run single into left to give the Bighorns a 2-1 lead with one out. Kaitlyn Hert walked and later scored on Nadya Sanchez’s bases-loaded walk for the third run of the inning. All nine Bighorns came to the plate.
Bird, who said the team felt relaxed going into Saturday, was excited about sending the seniors out with a championship. The team’s focus was critical against a team that’s accustomed to playing for a state title every year. The Panthers won the 2019 state title over Smith Valley in Overton.
“We’re all happy. We’re sad that our seniors are going to be leaving but we’re all happy we won. We did everything we could,” Bird said. “It’ super exciting. I feel lucky to experience this. Not every high schooler gets to, but it’s been fun.”
The Bighorns added another trio of runs in the second inning when Bird smacked an RBI single to center to score Rios followed by Payne’s double to bring in Bird. Payne scored on Perez’s single to give their team a 6-1 advantage. Perez, who was hit in the next at-bat, finished with three RBIs and two singles.
“This is probably the best game I’ve ever played,” said Perez, a senior first baseman. “It felt really good to get my team up in that inning. To go out my senior year like this with the championship, it’s amazing.”
After a calmer second inning when she allowed one baserunner, Payne ran into trouble in the third. Taylor reached on an error and Tsosie singled to put runners on first and second. Both Panthers later advanced but would be stranded. Payne struck out Kylee Connell and catcher Hert’s diving grab behind the plate gave the Bighorns the second out of the inning. Payne struck out Marlee Hosier to end the threat. Payne retired the side in order in the fourth.
In the first game, Oasis Academy wasted a bases-loaded opportunity to score in the third inning.
After Rios was hit, Bird doubled, and Payne reached to load the bases with one out. Perez struck out for the second out and Hert flew out to short.
After watching the Panthers grab 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning, the Bighorns came back with three in the fourth. Wachsmuth and Robinson, the Nos. 6 and 7 hitters, led the inning with back-to-back singles, and Enaday Rios walked to load the bases. Kate Rios flew out to score Wachsmuth to tie the game before Bird singled into left to score Robinson. Perez’s single brought home Enaday Rios for a 3-1 lead.
The Panthers scored again in the fourth, but Payne retired the side in order in the final inning for the win. Payne finished with seven strikeouts.
Payne, Oasis Academy shut out Wells in 1A West-North showdown
In what looked like it would shape into another rout, Oasis Academy found itself in a pitcher’s duel with Wells during Thursday’s 1A West-North semifinal game at the East Richards softball field.
After scoring three runs in the first inning, the Bighorns rode their ace, senior Emily Payne, and the defense stepped up in the 3-0 win over the Leopards. It was the first time Oasis Academy did not finish a game on the mercy rule.
“It was a great game. It was a really fun game,” Bighorns coach Rachel Payne said. “(Wells) never lost intensity. They were a great team to play.”
Playing in the postseason for the first time in school history, Oasis Academy relied on its pitching with Payne going the distance in striking out 13 Leopards.
The Bighorns opened the game with a single from Kate Rios, who scored the first run when Ellie Bird smacked a triple to the right-field fence. After Payne and Callie Perez walked to load the bases, Kaitlyn Hert drove in two with a drive to right. Perez was forced out at second. Oasis Academy loaded the bases again but Kalee Higbee struck out Nadya Sanchez and Eneyde Rios to end the inning. Higbee finished with eight strikeouts.
After striking out the first seven batters of the game, Payne ran into trouble in the fourth inning when Wells broke up the perfect game with an infield single from Jasmin Garcia to lead off the frame. With Samantha Iveson at the plate, Garcia stole second and then advanced to third on a bunt to Payne, who retired Iveson. Payne hit Jorie Wright to set up a first-and-third situation with only one out.
Wright stole second, giving Wells two runners in scoring position with Higbee at the plate. Higbee struck out looking on an inside pitch and Payne then struck out Kyanna DelRio swinging to end the threat.
The Bighorns had difficulty getting on base in the fourth when Higbee struck out the first two batters. Erin Wachsmuth walked before Emma Robinson flew out to Garcia at short.
Payne had no difficulty retiring Wells in order in the fifth inning but didn’t record a strikeout. She struck out at least one Leopard in the other six innings. Bird picked up two assists, fielding a pair of groundballs for the putout at first.
The Bighorns threatened in the bottom of the inning, but they committed a baserunning miscue. Payne laced a one-out single into right field and advanced to third on Perez’s hit-and-run single. Perez, though, was tagged out after stepping off the bag at first. Hert flew out to Garcia, who made the catch behind third base for the final out.
“Our bats could have been better. I was really happy with our defense,” coach Payne said. “Emily’s shut out a lot of teams this year and hasn’t really given the defense a lot of opportunities to make some plays. I was really happy that they did hit the ball and our girls in the field were able to be part of the game, make some outs and really contribute. It was awesome.”
Wells started the sixth inning with Tiffany Higbee’s first-pitch single when the ball was caught in the wind before dropping in front of Robinson in centerfield. Payne proceeded to strike out Garcia and Iveson on three-straight pitches each before Wright flew out to left field for the third out.
After Higbee retired Oasis Academy in order in the sixth, she led off the final frame with an opposite-field single to right field. Higbee stole second but was left stranded as DelRio struck out, Jillian Rodriguez’s failed bunt ended in a popup to Payne, who then finished the game by striking out Shaylin Uhlig.
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