It took six years to build the transcontinental railway, which was more than 1,700 miles long. Now they are predicting it will take four years and billions of dollars to build a roughly 200-mile stretch of rail from California to Nevada. That’s progress.

Palo Verde, No. 4 in the Review-Journal’s Class 5A rankings, shut out No. 2 Coronado 2-0 to claim a home victory in a high school softball game Tuesday.

Bradi Odom allowed one hit and one walk in seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts for Palo Verde (15-6, 5-3 5A Mountain League).

Palo Verde’s win created a three-way tie atop the Mountain League with Shadow Ridge (14-6, 5-3) and Coronado (12-4, 5-3).

Shadow Ridge will earn the league title and No. 1 seed in the Southern Region playoffs on a tiebreaker. Palo Verde will be the No. 2 seed and Coronado will be the No. 3 seed when the playoffs begin Monday.

Palo Verde next hosts 5A Desert League champion Arbor View in a nonleague game at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, and Coronado hosts Tech at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.

Arbor View softball senior outfielder Breya Hee said the team has become more connected in recent weeks.

Winning helps with that.

The Aggies are on a four-game winning streak entering Tuesday and Hee has played a big role in it.

She went 3-for-4 with a double and six RBIs to help Arbor View defeat Green Valley 15-0 on April 24. She was named Nevada Preps Girls Athlete of the Week for her efforts.

“I was just trying to focus on bringing whatever I could, doing whatever I can to help the team win the game,” Hee said. “Whatever the weak spots were is where I tried to hit it.”

Let’s get to know this week’s girls athlete of the week. (Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.)

Nevada Preps: Who’s a softball player you look up to and try to model your game after?

Hee: My favorite softball player is Aliyah Andrews. She used to play at Louisiana State. She is an amazing outfielder. She’s spectacular. She flies everywhere. Her slapping is incredible. When I find drills, it’s always from her.

NP: If you weren’t playing softball, what sport would you be playing?

Hee: I’d probably be playing soccer or volleyball. I like soccer because it’s outside. And volleyball, it’s just a sport that I’d have an interest in. I used to play soccer when I was 6-years-old, but then I moved to softball.

NP: Do you have any pregame rituals or game-day superstitions that you follow?

Hee: I always put my left sock on first. And I always have to listen to “Hit ‘Em Up” by Tupac (Shakur) before a game. I have a pregame playlist, all the songs that get me hyped and ready. And I always try to eat some sugar so I have a lot of energy before the game.

NP: What’s been your favorite memory in your softball playing career thus far?

Hee: Playing in the Colorado Sparklers or any of the tournaments I’ve been in, it’s an amazing experience. Recently, this past Faith Lutheran win we had (on April 17). We were in the top of the seventh inning and we were down by two runs and my hit to center field brought in two runs.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.