‘There’s nothing like that feeling’ — Lady Trojans capture 2026 Class 3A state title

Get your speakers out and blare some Queen because your Lady Trojans are state champions.

For the first time since 2019, the Pahrump Valley varsity girls softball program captured their fifth Class 3A state title up north in Spanish Springs last weekend.

“You get that third out and they’re jumping, crying, hugging each other,” Trojans head coach Brian Hayes said. “There’s nothing like that feeling. That’s the moment you tuck in your pocket forever.”

It started well before the first pitch was ever thrown.

Last Wednesday, just after 8 a.m., the team rolled out of town under a sheriff’s escort — posters waving, parents lining the streets, the entire community already believing something special was possible.

It was loud, emotional, and for a moment, felt like the entire community was climbing onto that bus with them.

The girls embarked on the beginning of a dream for a young softball team that had spent months preparing for this exact opportunity before most.

A quick stop in Tonopah for an hour and a half practice and a quick meal reminded everyone this wasn’t a vacation.

There was a mission to be completed.

By the time the team checked into the hotel that evening around 6 p.m., the focus had sharpened.

Behind the scenes, the Trojans’ coaching staff had found its rhythm, meticulously scouting opponents they’d soon be facing with everything on the line.

Coach Rich Lauver’s experience, brought in his return to the program this season, allowed the staff to divide responsibilities with precision — Lauver running the offense, head coach Brian Hayes running defense, practice structure and in-game adjustments.

“Having Lauver really does make a huge difference. Honestly, the way we handled things this year, he ran offense and I ran defense,” coach Hayes said. “I planned practices, but anything dealing with hitting or defense, I didn’t really have to worry about—I just put it on him.”

Be uncommon

After the North’s No. 2 seed, Lowry High School, forced an if-necessary game two Saturday following a 9-5 victory in the morning, the Lady Trojans ultimately finished the job in style.

It was as good a game as any to have your career-best day at the plate and Riley Saldana had arguably the best offensive game of her career.

The junior center fielder sent the Buckaroos outfielders hopping to the fences as she collected two triples, two singles and three RBI’s en route to the 12-1 victory.

“I was thinking ‘focus, punch through the middle and keep your weight back’ and the last thing I said to myself before I stepped in the box was ‘be uncommon,’” Saldana said. “It’s something that my dad always says to me and I have it written on my glove and my bat.”

Roaring alive for 19 total hits, the most recorded all season by the South’s No. 2 seed Pahrump Valley (33-9), the bats had quite the barrel party.

Joining Saldana, sophomore catcher Mariah Gray and freshman pitcher Jaycie Hayes also totaled 3 RBI’s in the winner-take-all finale.

Surrendering 15 hits and five earned runs to the Buckaroos (31-7) in the prior contest, Hayes had to dig deep within herself, along with the rest of the girls after a slightly stinging loss earlier.

“I haven’t seen a team hit Jaycie that hard since she was 12 years-old,” Hayes said. “Everything they hit was lasers.”

Lowry starter Makinley Hislop got the best of the Trojans in game one as she totaled eight strikeouts on 113 pitches, giving up five hits, and four earned runs with one walk.

Alongside Hayes in unity, the Trojans collectively made sure to take the looming fate of the season quickly into their own hands.

With a mere half-hour break in between games, the matchup was freshly familiar as Hayes and Hislop went back at it once more in the circle.

The nation’s fourth leading strikeout holder in the 2029 senior class only needed 87 pitches to retire 26 batters, ascending the Trojans to ultimate glory.

In her 24th complete game this season, the hurler cruised through seven innings of two-hit ball behind a stiff defense that was only charged with one error to Hayes in the last inning in the championship.

Pitching all 28 innings in the tournament, Hayes racked up 33 strikeouts while only surrendering eight earned runs.

Right place, right time

The Trojans earned an advantage earlier in the tournament to win it all in two games after defeating Fernley on Thursday 13-4 and Virgin Valley 2-0 on Friday.

“Our defense was phenomenal,” Brian Hayes said. “That’s what we preached all year — trusting the defense and getting weak contact.”

Fernley got the same treatment Virgin Valley did from Jaycie as the freshman clocked 12 strikeouts through seven innings against the Vaqueros from up north.

Equally as impressive, the Trojan offense came together for 13 total hits as Aspen Middaugh, Riley Saldana, Hayes, Evalenne Armendariz, Mariah Gray, Sadie Freeman and Jaelyn Rodriguez all recorded at least two hits.

Hayes topped the offense with five RBI’s in the game, followed by Rodriguez with three.

The girls’ ability to adapt became the defining characteristic of their title run.

That same resilience showed earlier in the tournament during a tense win over Virgin Valley — a team that had previously shaken Pahrump Valley’s confidence during regionals.

Pitching was going to a be problem for everyone in the tournament at some point, but Hayes strategized well for the occasion.

“Most teams only had one pitcher, so pitching depth mattered a lot,” coach Hayes said. “The north teams would throw their ace, then their No. 2, then bring the ace back. That’s kind of what we planned for too.”

Taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning courtesy of a single to center field by Sadie Freeman that scored Isabella McHugh, the Lady Trojans weren’t out of magic yet.

Deciding to pinch hit Quinn Kaucky, the sophomore call-up delivered a game-defining RBI triple down the line in left field scoring Tierra Demers to give the Trojans the insurance run they desperately needed.

“That’s something we’ve been working toward. She’s been improving mentally. Coaches have been on her, she’s been staying after practice,” coach Hayes said. “It was right time, right moment. That’s what sports is about—earning your opportunity.”

Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com.

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