By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School Varsity softball team came into last week off of a win against their rival, Virgin Valley. The team rode that momentum into their two games against Del Sol on Monday, April 25 and Chaparral on Wednesday, April 27.
The first game of the week was a home game against Del Sol. The game served as Senior Night for the Pirates. Moapa Valley will be losing seniors Sidnee Anderson, Devony Cooper, Jordan Morwood, Tapanga Durham, Karsen Cardinal and Mercedes Gale.
The Pirates were motivated enough by the special occasion that they dominated the Dragons with a final score of 20-1. Kessa Evans recorded 4 RBI’s while Devony Cooper and Mercedes Gale each recorded three.
The second game was a road matchup against Chaparral. The Pirates extended their win streak to four with a powerful 17-7 win over the Cowboys.
The game was close in the fifth inning, at a 9-7 score. But then a spark was lit under the Moapa team and the Pirates scored 8 runs to close out the game. Mercedes Gale pitched both games for the team.
This week will be the last week of the regular season for the Pirates, and they’re looking very impressive as of late.
“We’re hitting the ball well and being very aggressive,” said head coach Matt Messer.
A positive aspect of Moapa Valley’s season has been their consistency. Messer went on to say, “One great thing about our team is that one through nine, we’ve done consistently well.”
The Pirates are in good position to make the playoffs with possibly the number two seed in the division. If that’s the case, Moapa Valley would host a playoff game. Messer says that would be “pretty exciting” for the players and fans.
This week is also the last week of regular season play for the aforementioned seniors on the team. Over the course of high school, Moapa Valley Senior Devony Cooper claimed her hitting has improved.
“The coaches have worked with me and my hitting is 10 times better,” she said.
Going into the playoffs, Cooper also said, “I’m sure that if we’re locked in and focused, we can do anything.”
Karsen Cardinal says she’s trying not to think about her high school softball career ending. “I’m just taking advantage of every play and at bat that I am getting,” she said.
The one thing she says she will take away from her high school softball experience is to “Always give 100% no matter what.”
As for Pirates pitcher and outfielder Mercedes Gale: to her, this time of year is “bittersweet in so many ways.”
“I’ve played for nine years competitively and I am so excited to graduate,” she said. But I don’t know what I’m going to do when I step off the field for the last time.”
The Pirates are not only a team, but a family; and Mercedes was sure to make it known that she “loves her team ‘family’ so much!”
With the seniors finishing their time as high school softball players, and playoffs just around the corner, there is a lot to think about in the Pirates softball program. The team hopes to finish strong and end the season positively with the last two games of the regular season, and these two are more important than ever.
