By DAVE BELCHER
Moapa Valley Progress
The Pirates needed a couple of wins last week to place them into the regional tournament. Their recent downward spiral continued however, as they were beaten first by Virgin Valley then SECTA in the final league games of the year.
These two losses, and a Virgin Valley shut out of Chaparral, disqualified the Pirates from playoff contention which ended the season or the Moapa team.
In Mesquite the Pirates started the week Monday against the Bulldogs. They scored a run in the top of the first inning when Chase Guesman ran home, after singling.
Virgin Valley tied the game in the bottom of the second inning then took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third. The Pirates scored a run in the fifth cutting the Bulldog lead to one run. Virgin Valley took the two-run lead back scoring in the bottom half of the fifth inning.
Moapa Valley tied the game in the top of the six. But they lost the game in the bottom of the sixth as the Dawgs scored twice for the win.
Hunter Wrzesinki, Luke Bennet and Coby Longman each scored RBI’s in the game. Moapa Valley had six hits, all singles. Cade Anderson doubled scoring an RBI. Aiden Woods, Logan Felix and Booker Wakefield drove in runs for Virgin Valley.
So it came down to the final game of the league regular season. On Wednesday, the Pirates hosted the SECTA Roadrunners for a last chance at the regional tournament. Win and you’re in!
Moapa Valley scored the first run after Guesman walked, then stole both second and third base. Guessman scored when Luke Bennet singled him home.
The score would remain 1-0 until the top of the third. But SECTA tied the game when Cole scored.
Moapa Valley regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with Chase Hadley crossing the plate. The Roadrunners tied the game again with a run in the top of the fifth.
Wrzesinki started the bottom of the sixth when he singled then stole both second and third. He scored on a ground ball fielder’s choice giving the Pirates a 3-2 lead.
But SECTA took the lead in the top of the seventh 4-3 after a base on balls, a single and two pass balls.
It was then that Bennett took a two-strike pitch over the left field fence to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
The top of the ninth saw back to back singles by Leon and Nevarez and a wild pitch by Bennett as the Roadrunners scored twice for a two-run lead. In the bottom half of the ninth Coby Hadley singled. Daxton Longman grounded out before the Pirates loaded the bases.
With two out and the bases loaded senior Chase Guesman grounded out to the short stop ending the Pirates season 6-5.
The Pirates ended with just five hits in the game while SECTA had twelve.
The Pirate travelled to play SLAM in Las Vegas on Friday coming away with a win 8-5.
Moapa Valley finished with a 4-6 league record and 15-12 overall.