By DAVE BELCHER
Moapa Valley Progress
It was a critical week for Moapa Valley High School baseball. The Pirates needed to win at least one game, particularly against Del Sol at home, in order to maintain a place in the post season. And if not the Dragons, a win against Chaparral would keep them in a tie with Del Sol, notwithstanding behind the Dragons due to losses against them.
But the Pirates couldn’t get enough hits (five total for both games) and are now on life support hoping for a miracle cure with wins against two of the top three teams in the Sunrise: Boulder City and SECTA this week. Then Del Sol would need losses against Desert Pines and Virgin Valley to make it happen.
Against Del Sol on Monday, April 15, the Pirates couldn’t get started on offense. The Dragons pitcher allowed just two hits in the game: one to Drake Staheli and a double to Anthony Cornwall. Osmany Cardenas and Chase Guesman each walked once for the Pirates only offense.
Koby Frei pitched six innings allowing eight hits five runs, four of them earned. He walked four and struck out three. Daxton Longman pitched an inning allowing three hits, three runs; two of them earned.
Del Sol had all kinds of offense including two home runs. Cordell Bowie hit one and scored 3 RBI’s. Zach Trujillo had the other and also had 3 RBI’s. Aaron Aquires had three hits in the game including a double with Phil Talamo finishing with two hits of his own.
The game was close through the first four innings with Del Sol taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning. A homer in the fifth helped a four-run fourth inning and a another homerun in the seventh provided the ending as three runs came across the plate. Del Sol ended the game with thirteen hits.
The Pirates could only muster three hits against Chaparral On Wednesday. Bo Redd, Dayton Wolfley and Daxton Longman had the hits.
Chaparral scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning, then three more in the bottom of the second inning to put this game out of reach early.
Mark O’Conner had two hits and 2RBI’s leading the Cowboys offense. Robert O’Conner had three hits scoring twice and having an RBI. Gencarrelli had two hits and a run scored.
The Pirates totally came apart as they had a total of 13 errors in the game with Cardenas having four of them himself.
Cornwall pitched allowing eleven runs, three of them earned; with two walks and four strike outs. Mark O’Conner pitched for the Cowboys allowing the three hits while striking out six.
The Pirates travelled to SECTA Tuesday hoping to beat the Roadrunners like last time when the Pirates won 11-1. Thursday will be senior day with Moapa Valley honoring the seniors before they play Boulder City.
