Elko Daily Free Press
Anthony Mori May 23, 2025
INDIAN SPRINGS — The Wells softball team — which won the 2022 1A state championship — came up a couple wins short of its second title in a four-year span.
The North No. 1 Lady Leopards opened the Division 1A Nevada State Softball Championships with a 4-1 victory over South No. 2 Round Mountain on Thursday, May 15.
But, Wells fell 12-9 against South No. 1 Pahranagat Valley on Friday, May 16.
In an elimination contest, the Lady Leopards came up clutch and defeated Round Mountain for the second time by a narrow margin of 6-5 in the second contest of the day.
Reaching the championship round from the losers’ bracket, Wells run-ruled by the Lady Panthers — falling to Pahranagat Valley for the second time — dropping a 15-5 ballgame in six innings.
Versus Round Mountain — Game One
The Lady Leopards plated two runs in the home half of the first inning, added one in the bottom of the fourth and tacked on an insurance run in the fifth.
The Lady Knights tallied their lone run of the game in the top of the fourth.
At the plate, Wells junior Grace Otto hit 2-for-3 and scored a run.
Sophomore Aryanna Rodriguez batted 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Junior Adriana Aguilar went 1-for-3 with a double, scored two runs and drove in one.
Sophomore Khloe DelRio was 1-for-3 with an RBI, and freshman Jess Wright finished 1-for-3 and crossed once.
In the circle, DelRio went the distance for the complete-game win and allowed one run on one hit with 11 strikeouts against six walks over seven frames.
Versus Pahranagat Valley — Game One
Wells’ offense was pretty consistent — scoring two runs in the top of the first, one in the fourth, three in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh — but the game essentially boiled down to a five-run effort by the Lady Panthers in a 12-9 loss for the Lady Leopards.
For Wells, freshman Mayte Casas hit 2-for-4 — both knocks going for extra bases with a home run and a double — drove in two runs and crossed twice.
Rodriguez batted 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Otto was 1-for-1, and Aguilar went 1-for-2 and scored three runs.
DelRio finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run, and freshman Jitzel Rivas closed 1-or-3 and drove in one.
Freshman Stacia Hansen rounded out the hits for the Lady Leopards at 1-for-4, drove in a run and scored one of her own.
Without knocks, freshman Avery Safford notched an RBI and Wright scored a run.
In the circle, DelRio took the loss and gave up 12 runs —only four earned — on nine hits with nine Ks and five free passes over six innings.
Wells was unable to six errors by the defense.
Versus Round Mountain — Game Two
In the elimination game against Round Mountain, Wells came to life late — scoring three runs in the fourth, two in the sixth and walked off with a run in the bottom of the seventh as Safford led off with a double and scored on a bunt single by Wright.
Safford finished 2-for-3 with a double and scored the game winner, and Otto went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
Hansen hit 1-for-3 with a double and scored a run.
DelRio (two runs), Casas (run scored) and Aguilar (run scored) each batted 1-for-3.
Wright finished 1-for-4 but laid down the game-winning bunt for an RBI.
Without a hit, Rodriguez drove in one.
In the circle, Rodriguez gave up four runs — two earned — on five hits with five punchouts and four free passes through five innings.
From the pen, DelRio allowed one run on one hit with four Ks and a walk across two frames.
Versus Pahranagat Valley — Championship
Errors hurt the Lady Leopards once again in the championship versus Pahranagat Valley, committing seven.
DelRio hit 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a run, and Aguilar batted 2-for-3 and scored twice.
Rodriguez went 1-for-2 and crossed once, and Otto and Rivas each finished 1-for-3.
Without a hit, Casas drove in a run and Hansen came around once.
DelRio took the loss and gave up 15 runs — just five earned — on seven hits with nine strikeouts and five walks through 5-2/3.