Two no-hitters by Pahranagat Valley pitchers powered the Panthers to the Division IV Southern Region tournament championship in Alamo last Saturday, their second straight and fifth in the last six years..
Tabor Maxwell had a five inning no-hitter leading PVHS to a 10-0 win over Tonopah on Thursday, and Wade Leavitt came back on Saturday with another five-inning no-hitter for a 13-2 win.
Both teams advanced to this week’s state tournament in Las Vegas.
Maxwell struck out nine and walked three in his no-hitter and Leavitt also struck out nine and walked four.
In all, the Panthers 10-runned each of the teams they played in the tournament.
Indian Spring beat Central League winner Round Mountain 15-2 on Thursday.
On Friday, Maxwell went 2-for-3 with a triple, a double and two RBIs leading PVHS to a 12-2 five inning win over Indian Springs. Tonopah eliminated Round Mountain 8-7 and came back on the strength of a grand slam home run to eliminate Indian Springs 10-4 to advance to the championship game.
In the championship, the Panthers beat Tonopah thanks to 10 hits, including three extra base hits. They scored six runs in the fifth on a two-run single by Paden Higbee, a two-run single by Christian Higbee, and a two-run home run by Maxwell.
Maxwell racked up four RBIs on three hits for the Panthers (20-2).
Coach Brad Loveday said, “The kids played well with good defense and the pitchers pitched well. I think something that separates us from a lot of the other Division IV teams, and some Division III teams, is we have hitters from one to nine in the lineup. Some other teams run out of hitters after getting to number four or five.”
Last year in the state tournament Pahranagat, although being the division champion, lost its first two games. Loveday said he doesn’t expect that at all this time. “Last year we had just one senior, and it’s difficult when you have just one senior, but this year we have five and we’re ready to go.”
PVHS played Northern Division runner-up Whittell (24-7) in the first game of the state tournament in Las Vegas yesterday and Tonopah 17-8) played defending state champion Virginia City (18-3).
