Elko Daily Free Press
Anthony Mori 5/14/2025
HAWTHORNE — After sweeping Pyramid Lake in the regular season, the Wells softball team needed to overcome a 16-7 loss to the Lady Lakers in the 1A North regional tournament with consecutive victories of 9-4 and 7-2 for the championship.
Versus Mineral County — Game One
On May 9, the No. 1 Lady Leopards started shaky and gave up three runs in the top of the first inning to No. 4 Mineral County but closed the contest with 13 unanswered runs in a 13-3 victory in six innings.
Junior Adriana Aguilar hit 2-for-3 with a double, drove in two runs and scored two of her own.
Sophomore Khloe DelRio batted 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs as well.
Freshman Stacia Hansen went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run — freshman Jess Wright also going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI.
Junior Grace Otto finished 1-for-3 with a three-run homer, four RBI and two runs.
Freshman Mayte Casas closed 1-for-3 with a double and crossed once.
Without hits, sophomore Aryanna Rodriguez scored two runs and drove in one and freshman Jitzel Rivas came around one time.
In the circle, Rodriguez got the win from the pen and allowed just one hit with eight strikeouts and three walks through five scoreless innings.
In the start, Otto gave up three runs — two earned — on two hits with three Ks and a free pass across one frame.
Versus Pyramid Lake — Game One
In the first matchup with Pyramid Lake, on May 9, Wells led 2-1 after the second inning on a solo bomb by Otto — her second dinger of the day — but the Lady Lakers scored 15 of the final 20 runs in a 16-7 domination of the Lady Leopards.
Wells scratched in one run during every frame but was unable to overcome eight errors and six unearned runs.
Wright raked 3-for-4, scored two runs and drove in one.
Rives hit 2-for-3 with an RBI.
DelRio batted 1-for-3 and scored twice, and Casas finished 1-for-3 and drove in a run.
Otto’s lone hit (1-for-4) flew the fence for another opposite-field homer, Aguilar’s only knock (1-for-4) was an RBI triple and Hansen closed 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Without a knock, Rodiguez crossed once.
In the circle, DelRio took the tough loss and allowed nine runs — only four earned — on three hits with eight strikeouts and seven walks across four innings.
From the pen, Rodriguez gave up seven runs — six earned — on four hits with four Ks and four free passes through three frames.
Versus Mineral County — Game Two
On May 10, the Lady Leopards opened an elimination contest with nine straight runs — plating two in the first, one in the second and three apiece in the third and fourth — but went cold offensively and had to hang on for a state-ticket punching 9-4 victory.
The Lady Serpents scored three runs in the top of the fifth and one in the sixth but were held scoreless in the seventh.
Aguilar hit 2-for-3 with a triple, three runs and an RBI.
Rivas batted 1-for-3 with a double, drove in two runs and crossed twice — junior Andreina Mercado also going 1-for-3.
Wright went 1-for-4 with a double and two runs.
Both DelRio and Casas finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
In the circle, DelRio tossed a complete-game gem — giving up four runs (none earned) one three hits and fanning 10 batters while over seven innings.
Versus Pyramid Lake – Game Two
The first champion contest, the Lady Leopards started slowly — giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning — but finished with a flurry.
Wells cut the deficit in a half with a run in the top of the fifth, never said die and fought to the front with a sixth-run seventh for a 7-2 victory.
Aguilar hit 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Mercado batted 2-for-4, drove in two runs and scored once.
Rodriguez also finished 2-4.
Casas and Rivas each event 1-for-3 with a run scored.
DelRio (1-for-4) gave Wells the lead for good on a three-run, inside-the-park home run.
Wright (1-for-5) tied the game 2-2 as she scored on a passed ball.
Without a knock, Hansen tallied and RBI and a run.
In the circle, Rodriguez was solid — allowing two unearned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and a walk across seven innings in the complete-game win.
Versus Pyramid Lake — Game Three
For the 1A Nort title, the Lady Leopards came back through the losers’ bracket and completed the journey with a 9-4 victory.
The game was tied 3-3 after three, but Wells plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the sixth — limiting the Lady Lakers to one run in the top of the sixth — and claimed the regional championship.
Casas hit 2-for-3 and scored twice.
Rivas ripped 1-for-2 with three RBI, and Mercado finished 1-for-2 as well.
DelRio batted 1-for-3 with a triple, drove in a run and scored another — Rodriguez also going 1-for-3 with an RBI and run.
Hansen hit 1-for-4.
Without knocks, freshman Avery Safford, Aguilar and Wright scored one run apiece.
In the circle, Rodriguez was stellar once again and gave up four runs — three earned — on eight hits with four Ks and two free passes over seven frames for the complete-game win.
State Tournament
North No. 1 Wells (21-7 overall, 20-1 versus league opponents) will take on South No. 2 Round Mountain (18-3 overall, 13-3 versus league opponents) in the first round of the Division 1A Nevada Softball Championships at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, in Indian Springs.