PRATT – Whether she was in the outfield, at the plate, or on the base paths, the big moments found Caylie VanMeter in Friday's Class 2-1A tournament state title game. 

The Mission Valley senior came through each time for the Vikings, and she wasn't the only clutch performer.  

Mission Valley took the early lead and held off previously-unbeaten Troy for a 6-4 win to claim the championship at Green Sports Complex.  

The Viking baseball team later captured a state title as well, making Mission Valley the eighth school in state history to win softball and baseball state titles in the same year.  

VanMeter went 2 for 3 at the plate with a double, drove in a run, scored twice on wild pitches and made two great defensive plays in right field.

"I like playing close games, it's just so fun," VanMeter said. "I like coming together after a good play, especially the ones that you don't think will happen, and bam, it just happens. Electric. I love it so much." 

Troy scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to creep within a run, but Vikings standout pitcher Morgan Tomlinson held the Trojans scoreless in the sixth and the seventh innings.

Mission Valley (23-2) opened the tournament with a 9-0 win over Spearville and beat Ell-Saline 5-1 in the semis to move to the title game.  

It was the third state championship in program history for the Vikings, who also won titles in 2001 and 2003. 

"We played about as well as we could play this weekend," Mission Valley coach Roger Converse said. 

Mission Valley took advantage of Troy miscues to take control early. VanMeter scored the Vikings' first two runs, coming home on wild pitches in the second and fourth innings. Senior Jaycie Calvaruzo later tripled to score Adaline Bloomfield in the fourth.  

Troy junior Paityn Engemann put the Trojans on the board with a solo homer the bottom of the fourth.  

Mission Valley tacked on two more in the top of the fifth. The Vikings got a run off a Troy error, and VanMeter hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Paige Martin.  

The Trojans started stringing hits together against Tomlinson in the fifth. After singles from Cayley Grable and Emma McConnaughey to open the frame, Reagen Hill hit a RBI sac fly. Avery Euler and Emerson Weber later had had RBI singles to bring Troy within a run.  

"The last time we saw (Tomlinson), she did a number on us," Troy coach Kyle McConnaughey said. "They beat us 11-0 last year in regionals. She's a fantastic pitcher; we have one of our own, too (Engemann).  

"Just get the ball in play, give yourself a chance, make the defense work."

But Tomlinson bounced back with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth inning, and the Vikings added some insurance in the top of the seventh after Tomlinson reached on an error and scored on a groundout from Martin.  

Tomlinson then worked around a one-out single in the seventh, coaxing a ground out to end it.  

"I had the chills. Everyone else was crying, but I had the chills," said Tomlinson, a junior. "It's something that hopefully I will feel again next year, but the feeling is crazy and amazing." 

Tomlinson said she adjusted her pitch locations after Troy's rally.  

"Toward the beginning and the middle, I was throwing outside," Tomlinson said. "Once they started hitting that, when they got four runs, I switched my tactics, and I went inside with the screw and just kind of switched it up to keep them off balance." 

Tomlinson allowed five hits and notched five strikeouts without allowing a walk. She racked up 16 strikeouts and gave up just one hit in the opener against Spearville and didn't allow an earned run in the semifinal win over Ell-Saline while striking out eight.  

"She's a frickin' stud," VanMeter said of Tomlinson. "I love her so much, I love this team so much." 

"She's a big-time player and she deserves all the kudos she gets," Converse added.  

VanMeter came up with two tough catches in the outfield. She saved a run in the bottom of the fourth, charging in to make a snag after the ball deflected off Bloomfield's glove.  

"I knew it was coming down and I knew I had to back her up either way," VanMeter said. "I had faith in her, but I just knew I had to do my duties. I was just there at the right time." 

VanMeter also made a difficult catch for the first out of the bottom of the sixth.  

"Without her, we wouldn't have won the game. No doubt," Converse said. 

"Oh my gosh, Caylie VanMeter, man, she has made leaps and bounds from the beginning of the season," Tomlinson said. "This tournament and regionals, her bat was on fire, her energy is crazy and her outfielding in right field was insane." 

The Vikings have a mix of experience and youth, with six freshmen on the roster. They have four seniors with VanMeter, Calvaruzo, Carley Wagner and Haley Atwood. 

"We're pretty young," Converse said. "At one time we started five freshman this year, and I was leaning on Morgan and Jaycie and some of the other girls. It rounded itself out at the end of the year.  

"Expectations wise, I was hoping to make it to the tournament. I don't know that I thought we'd win it. It feels great." 

Troy (23-1) was hurt by five errors in the title game.  

"Big game, hadn't been here before," McConnaughey said. "We saw the nerves."

The Trojans advanced to the final in dramatic fashion after Paige Hinds' walkoff hit gave Troy a 3-2 win in eight innings in the semifinal against Central Heights. 

Troy was playing in its first state tournament in program history.  

"It was an awesome ride, best in program history," McConnaughey said. "Just making it to state was huge.  

"It was super special. Unfinished business is what we started with, and to get all the way to the very final game, it was great. It was a fun ride and we hope to get it going again." 

Central Heights (16-8) took third place with an 11-1 win over Ell-Saline.