By Dave Belcher

Moapa Valley Progress

Rachel Dalley catches a fly-ball with plenty of team backup from Hannah Leavitt (left) and Chanel LaCroix (right). Photo by Mesa Owens.

The Moapa Valley softball team played three home games last week; a rarity this season as most of their games have been on the road.

On Tuesday, May 1 the Lady Pirates hosted the Sunrise Mountain Lions and were beaten in a close game 8-6. Sunrise scored 2 in the first inning, 3 in the second inning and 1 in the third inning to take a 6-0 lead before the Moapa bats finally woke up in the bottom of the third and the Pirates got on the board with two runs.

Scatterday got a single and was advanced to 2nd base when Owens bunted her over. Scatterday then scored on Dalley’s single and she scored when Lacroix singled her home. In the fourth Leavitt scored on an interference call by Smith’s going into second ending the inning and making it 6-3.

Sunrise scored 2 in the 6th as well as Moapa and Moapa’s final run came in the seventh leaving two on base as the game ended when Dalley grounded out.

Friday the Pirates played rival Virgin Valley in a precursor to next week’s league tournament. In game one of the double header Moapa jumped out with 2 runs in the bottom of the first when Smith singled to start the game and Scatterday reached first on the fielder’s choice. Smith scored on the next play when Dalley singled.

Then Scatterday scored on Owens single. Moapa scored 5 in the third inning when Virgin Valley committed 4 errors and hit a batter. Moapa had one hit in the inning increasing their lead to 7-0 over the Dawgs.

Virgin Valley got their first two runs in the fourth inning with back to back doubles and two fielder choices scoring the runs. Moapa scored 4 in the bottom of the 4th with Owens, Neilson, Robertson and Leavitt coming across the plate on 2 Bulldog walks, a hit batter and a single.

But Virgin Valley didn’t lay down as they added 3 more runs to their final total in the fifth on two Pirate errors and two walks. Moapa won the first game 11-5.

In the second game the Bulldogs came from behind 7-1 in the fifth with 4 runs and in the sixth to take the lead with 6 runs only to give up 4 in the bottom of the sixth and send the game into an extra inning.

Moapa came back from 3 down to win 15-14. Moapa had 6 errors including two with three consecutive walks in the big 6 run inning for the Dawgs in the sixth. Virgin Valley took a 3 run lead in the eighth the first three batters walked and reached on two Pirate errors.

Virgin Valley mistakes ended the hopes of a victory for the Dawgs as Moapa scored 4 runs with a single, a walk and a double. Then a base on balls tied the score before Frei’s single won the game for Moapa scoring Leavitt. Moapa 15-Virgin valley 14.

“The girls have played hard this season,” said Coach Ozaki. “We have some momentum going for us and hope to play well in the tournament.”

This Friday the Dawgs and Pirates will face off in Boulder City hoping the Eagles will forget to show up for the tournament. The tournament winner gets a ticket to ride a charter bus to Reno for the State tournament next week. The game starts at 12:00 PM