By Dave Belcher

Moapa Valley Progress

When the week started the Pirates were in for four games including the two most important of the year. If they could pull victories over Boulder City on Friday the Pirates could capture 1st place in the southern region headed into next week’s showdown with Virgin Valley. But before Boulder City, the Pirates had to face two teams from Vegas: Eldorado and Legacy High Schools.

In the first game against Eldorado Jared Repp started the game with a single after which he advanced to second on Shane Terrill’s sacrifice.

Repp advanced to third on a pass ball and scored on a second pass ball.

Josh Repp walked then advanced on an error and scored on another error by the 3rd baseman to give Moapa a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Moapa held that lead until the third inning when Jared Repp singled. He then advanced to third when Shane Terrill singled. Both Repp and Terrill scored on another throwing error by Eldorado’s 3rd baseman giving Moapa a 4-0 lead. Eldorado got on the score board in the bottom of the third after a double by Gonzales and single by Rodart scored Gonzales for a 4-1 Pirate lead.

It was the bottom of the sixth when it all came apart on the Pirates. Sedillo walked after a strike out then Bayless struck out for two outs in the bottom of the inning. Stonebeck singled scoring Sedillo. Brown walked and Areolla was hit by a pitch loading the bases. Gonzales was then hit by a pitch scoring Stonebeck. Then with the bases jammed, Rodarte smashed a grand slam giving the Sundevils a 7-4 lead. After that Carsten was hit by the pitch and he was caught stealing at second to end the inning.

Six runs all with two outs. Ouch.

That was it Eldorado 7 Moapa 4.

Jared Repp pitched an awesome five innings allowing six hits and 1 run on 61 pitches, 44 of which were strikes. Dillon Mortenson allowed 2 hits and 6 runs in two thirds of an inning and got the loss.

On Thursday night Moapa went to Legacy and were beaten 13-2. Legacy jumped right out and scored 6 runs in the first and 5 more in the 4rd for an 11-1 lead. The game was ended when Legacy doubled scoring two in the bottom of the 6th triggering the mercy rule.

On Friday the Pirates traveled to Boulder City with first place on the line. The games of the week and season.

In the first game, the Pirates jumped out first with 3 runs in the second inning. Setting Boulder city back on their heals. Landon Willard singled followed by two walks to load the bases. Two more Hafen walks scored two runs before Terrill hit a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Jared Repp for a 3-0 lead.

Boulder City scored in the bottom of the second when Hafen crossed the plate after he singled and advanced on Shelly’s double and Jackson’s double. 3-1 after two.

The Eagles tied the score in the bottom of the fifth when Koopman doubled and Fleming singled to right scoring Koopman. Fleming scored on Barts fielder’s choice.

Moapa came back in the top of the sixth after two Pirate singles one by Cam Straton and the other when Villezcas beat out a bunt. With two out Jared Repp tripled in Villezcas. Kasen Hughes then singled scoring Repp and giving Moapa a 5-3 lead.

Schultz homered for Boulder to center field in Boulder’s half of the inning to make it 5-4. Moapa scored one more when Villezcas scored Willard after Willard’s single. That was Moapa’s final run of the game.

Down two runs Boulder City started the bottom of the seventh with two singles. Nate Hafen then hit a double to center field scoring Wrightsman.

But that was it. They left two runners on as Terrill caught a fly ball then threw a runner out on a ground ball hit to him. Moapa won the first game 6-5.

In the second game the Pirates lost in a heart breaker. In the bottom of the 7th the Pirates had a 1 run lead needing to hold on for the win, the top seed in the region and region regular season championship.

Hernandez started the inning with a single for Boulder City. Barth then singled to left field and Hernandez advanced to second and third on the play giving Boulder City runners at the corners and no outs. Hafen then walked to load the bases. Mortenson rattled, walked his second of the inning scoring Hernandez and tying the game at 6-6.

Still with no outs, Boulder tried a squeeze play with the bat missing the ball. The tag was down but Barth, sliding into the glove, kicked the glove off and away from the play scoring on the steal of home and giving the Eagles the win, the region regular season title and the top seed in the tournament.

What an ending! Moapa had 10 hits on the game to Boulder City’s 12. The Pirates Kasen Hughes was 3-4 with 2 runs scored as he was instrumental in the offensive production.

Moapa will now play Sunrise Mountain and Virgin Valley this week to finish their regular season and head into the region tournament which is a double elimination tournament in Boulder City next Friday and Saturday. The tournament champion will be heading to Reno and the state tournament.

Even with their 4-17 record the Pirates proved they can win. They’re not out yet.