By Dave Belcher

Moapa Valley Progress

Moapa Valley started last week with a 10-3 loss to traditional baseball powerhouse Durango in Las Vegas on Tuesday, April 17. The Pirates got seven hits in the six inning game starting with Lane Stringham knocking in a run at the top of the first when he doubled to right field. In the process, he scored Villezcas who had walked to get on base.

But Durango came right back and tied the score. Martinez scored after singling then advancing to second on a wild pitch. He came home on Mauntines single to center field. The score was 1-1 after the first.

In the second inning Dillon Mortenson walked following a walk to Landon Willard. Willard was thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice by the short stop advancing Mortenson to third as Terrill reached first on the play. The inning ended when Shane Terrill was picked off first base.

Durango in their half of the second inning took the lead for good with four runs when Lomsardi double scored B Wright. After another singled Lomsardi scored. Then Martinez tripled home B Wright. Parry singled in the final run of the inning giving the Trail Blazers a 5-1 lead.

In the third inning Repp singled to centerfield. Kasen Hughes walked putting Pirates on first and second with no outs. Villezcas then hit a ground ball to the short stop and grounded into a double play. Repp advanced to third on the play and finally scored when Stringham singled to left field. The score was 5-2 Durango after three innings.

Durango scored again in the bottom of the 4th when Lomsardi scored after a ground ball to short stop Terrill with the bases loaded by three consecutive singles. Terrill made a play to third for the out. The score was 6-2 after four innings.

Moapa scored their final run in the top of the 6th when Willard singled, scoring Repp from third after his single lead off the inning. Repp had advanced to second on a fielder’s choice then advanced to third on Mortenson’s fly ball out to center field.

Durango got their final 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th when Wright tripled, scoring 1. Martinez doubled, scoring 1. Then he scored on a fielder’s choice ground ball. The final run came when Dismont singled it in.

The final score: 10-3.

Moapa Valley finished the game with 7 hits to Durango’s 16. Stringham had 2 RBI’s and a double to lead Moapa.

Dillon Mortenson got the loss in 5 innings of pitching allowing 14 hits and 10 earned runs.

On Friday the Moapa Valley baseball team jumped out on Shadow Ridge and scored 5 runs in the 1st inning. It figured to big a big day for the Pirates with a win.

Then all of a sudden Moapa couldn’t hit the ball.

Logan Hanavold went 3 for 3 with 4 of the five RBIs.

The Pirate scoring started with the bases full and two out with Jared Repp at the plate. He was hit by the pitch, scoring Josh Repp who started the game also getting hit by the pitch.

With the bases still loaded Willard hit a double to left field scoring Jake Repp and Shane Terrill for a 3-0 lead. Cam Stratton then singled to right field scoring Josh Repp and Willard for five runs in the top of the first inning. That was it for the game. Three of the Pirates’ five hits in the game came in the first inning.

Shadow Ridge came to the plate, walked, then a sacrifice and a double to score 1. After a fly ball out Wagner scored on a passed ball and Fitzhugh advanced to second. Then a walk. The next three runs were scored on two errors by Moapa to tie the game at 5s.

Roelofs started the Mustangs second inning with a triple then Hold singled for Shadow Ridge’s only score in the inning giving them a 6-5 lead.

In the third the Mustangs started the four runs inning with bases loaded after Josh Repp hit the first batter with the pitch. Then there was a single and an error by Stratton loading the bases.

Moapa then got two outs. Phillippou scored on Terrill’s ground ball error with Shaver around to score also. Wagner then singled to right scoring Roelofs and Hold who scored on the throw. The score was 10-5 Mustangs.

Moapa went three up and three down in the fourth.

Shadow Ridge got two singles and two out. Ayers doubled, scoring one. Hold singled to right, scoring two. Then another single scored two more and Moapa was down ten.

After holding the Pirates scoreless in the fifth inning the game ended on the ten run rule.

The Pirates are now 3-16 on the season and will be playing at Eldorado, at legacy then at Boulder City for league play.