Fallon softball blasts way to state win

RENO – Five days after blasting 14 home runs during its regional-tournament title run, the Lady Wave softball team continued its assault on opposing pitching, sending four balls over the fence in a 12-2 opening win over Pahrump Valley in the 3A state tournament at Reno High School.

Fallon awaits the winner of Lowry-Boulder City and will play at 2:30 p.m. on Friday with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship.

Jordan Beyer smacked two home runs, including a game-changing three-run blast, and Shelbi Schultz and Stacy Kalt each hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to end the game on the mercy rule. After a shaky first inning when Faith Cornmesser allowed a two-run homer to Taylor Egan, the senior hurler settled down with four shutout innings.

“Everyone gets a little nervous before the game,” Fallon coach Kasey Chu said. “They didn’t let that get them down and were able to jump on it. It was really good to see them come from behind and play some really good defense behind Faith.”

Beyer got Fallon on the board in the second inning with a one-out solo home run to left-centerfield to cut the deficit to 2-1. Alexis Jarrett led off the next inning with a blooped single down the left-field line and Cornmesser singled with one out. After Macie Anderson’s sac fly, Beyer drove a 2-2 pitch over the right-center wall to give Fallon a 4-2 lead with two outs.

“I just have more confidence than I did before and I really had to wait on the ball,” Beyer said. “I think we’re pretty excited to try and make it (to the title game). We need to take it one game at a time and stay hyped up.”

The defense came through in the fourth inning when Pahrump Valley threatened to tie the game.

After Jessica Pearson walked with one out, Ashleigh Murphy lined out to Kalt and the senior shortstop stepped on second for the double play.

Jarrett’s fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fourth scored Schultz, who singled, and Kalt laced an RBI single into left field to give Fallon a 6-2 lead.

Caitlyn Welch’s defense was on display in the following inning with a double play when she tagged out Egan and then threw to Anderson at first for the third out. Egan was a triple away from hitting for the cycle.

Anderson led off the fifth inning with a single before Beyer walked, setting up Schultz’s second home run of the year. She drove the ball over the left-field fence to increase the lead to 9-2. Welch walked with two outs, Jarrett reached on an infield single and Kalt blasted the team’s fourth home run of the game to end the first round of the tournament.

“They’re really seeing the ball and being selective on their pitches,” Chu said.