MESQUITE-Junior outfielder Shayla Bennet is known as a hitter but not one to hit home runs, Lady Eagles softball coach Bruce Reid said.

But  it was Bennett who ended the opening game of the Class 3A state tournament with a 3-run home run to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning to give Boulder City the 10-0 win against Spring Creek.

The Lady Eagles will play the winner of Elko/Churchill County at 4 p.m. with the winner advancing to Saturday’s finals.

Junior pitcher Karlee Koopman hit a 2-run home run and Ariel O’Niell added a two-run double. Junior catcher Taylor McKeever had a double, triple and three RBIs.  

Koopman gave up five hit and struck out four. Spring Creek loaded the bases with one out in the third inning, but Koopman got a strike out and a soft grounder to third to end the threat.

The Boulder City baseball faces Churchill County at 1 p.m. Follow @BCReview on Twitter for live updates from today’s games.

By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

OVERTON – The Boulder City baseball and softball teams won the Class 3A Southern League championship Saturday in Overton earning berths in this weekend’s state playoffs.

For the Eagles baseball team, it took a come-from-behind effort in the Friday game against three-time defending state champion Virgin Valley that set the stage for an easy 11-0 win against the Bulldogs in the title game the next day.

For the Lady Eagles, it was doing what was expected of the defending state champions in defeating Moapa Valley, 12-0.

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By Arnold M. Knightly, Boulder City Review

OVERTON – Boulder City softball advanced to Saturday’s league finals by defeating Moapa Valley, 10-0, in five innings Friday afternoon.

Junior Karlee Koopman gave up one hit and struck out five for the win.

She also hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run first inning.

The Lady Eagles had only five hits, but took advantage of eight walks.

The Lady Eagles, 30-3, will play Moapa Valley at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Lady Pirates, who had gone winless in league play, defeated Virgin Valley twice Friday: 11-5 in the day’s first game and then 5-4 in the nightcap.

Boulder City, the defending Class 3A state champions, is seeking their third consecutive league championship.

By Jim Konst, Boulder City Review

The Boulder City varsity girls softball team is gunning to repeat as the Class 3A state champions this year, and they are counting on all-state, junior pitcher Karlee Koopman to lead the way.

The Lady Eagles are 23-2 coming out of spring break, with Koopman recording 19 of the wins, one save and both losses.

Junior Karlee Koopman has continued her strong pitching performance with a 1.25 ERA and 102 strikeouts while building a 19-2 record this season. She helped lead the Lady Eadles to the Class 3A state championship last season and was named the Player of the Year among small schools, going 22-2 with a 0.88 ERA. Photo by Jim Konst.

“Karlee started out a little slow this year,” coach Bruce Reid said, “but she’s into her end-of-season form now. She’s winning a bunch of games for us.”

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By Jim Konst, Boulder City Review

The Boulder City softball team (21-2, 4-0) is already in mid-season form winning three more games last week while also battling the elements.

The defending Class 3A champions swept a double-header from league rival Virgin Valley (12-8, 2-2) on April 8 and cruised past the Class 4A Pahrump Valley (9-10-1) on April 7.

“For the lousy weather last week we played great,” coach Bruce Reid said. “Thursday was so bad in the Pahrump game, but we scored three runs on four hits to win. We’re coming along, and we made some defensive changes that are working.”

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By Jim Konst, Boulder City Review

The defending Class 3A champion Boulder City softball team has started the season 13-1, including a win over Needles, which has won four straight Class 2A championships.

“We’re playing well together,” junior pitcher Karlee Koopman said. “Our chemistry isn’t as good as last year’s yet, but we’re working on it. We’re having another great season and I’m having so much fun.”

The Lady Eagles finished last season 34-2.

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By Jim Konst, Boulder City Review

Boulder City basketball juniors Karlee Koopman and Nate Hafen have been selected to the 2011 NIAA High School Class 3A boys and girls basketball all-state teams.

“It was an honor to be recognized and rewarded for working hard at practice and in games all year,” Hafen said. “We had a pretty good season, and I’m really looking forward to next year.”

Koopman made second team at center for the girls, and Hafen earned second team at forward for the boys.

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By Jim Konst, Boulder City Review

The impact of center Karlee Koopman has been evident after her return to the Lady Eagles after missing two games earlier this season,

The 6-foot 1-inch junior has averaged 15 points during the past five games, including a season-high 20 points in a 42-34 win at Sunrise Mountain on Dec. 17.

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