Summerlin South Little League garnered national attention last summer when the boys went all the way to South Williamsport, Pennsylvania to win a national championship.
It was the girls’ turn to prove themselves on Tuesday, and things looked good for the Nevada team through five innings.
But Northern California erupted for four runs in the sixth, overcoming a 1-0 deficit to defeat Summerlin South 4-1 in the winners’ bracket semifinal of the Little League Softball West Region Tournament at San Bernardino, California.
Nevada (2-1) faces Southern California (2-1) in the elimination bracket semifinal at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, with the winner playing Northern California for the championship at 2:15 p.m. Thursday.
Summerlin South pitcher Raelyn Lingenfelter helped keep the game close, escaping jams in each of the first three innings. She finally set Northern California down in order in the fourth, and her team capitalized when Alexis Cappetta hit an inside-the-park home run to put Nevada up 1-0.
Lingenfelter cruised through the fourth and fifth innings, but Hannah Lancieri singled to open the sixth for the California team. Two hits, an error and a passed ball later, a stunned Summerlin South team was on its way to defeat, as it was unable to mount a rally in the bottom of the inning.
Northern California outhit Nevada 10-4, led by Charlotte Dudek’s 3-for-3 performance, and a nearly flawless outing by starting pitcher Eveya Martinez. Cappetta had two hits to lead Nevada’s offense.
Summerlin South qualified for postseason play by claiming the Nevada championship for the second consecutive season. The team did not play in the 2025 postseason due to a legal but disqualifying eligibility technicality.
Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.
