By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
As the top seed in the Sunrise division, the Moapa Valley High School Softball team had lofty expectations in the postseason. The Pirates had earned the right to host their first three playoff games. And now, just a year after having their season cut short just one game shy of the state tournament, a lineup full of returners had their sights set on finishing the job this time around.
The Pirates opened the week on Tuesday, May 7, against the Valley Vikings. Tthe game was as lopsided on paper as it was in person. Senior pitcher Emilie Barraza tossed a no-hitter. Abbie Evans’ 4 RBIs and three hits by Barraza helped combine for an easy 15-0 victory capped by a nine run fourth inning.
One day later, the Pirates were back at home and back in business against Chaparral. Again, Barraza was on her game. She pitched four innings of a no-hitter while sophomore Madi Fairchild finished the job with a hitless fifth inning. This time around, leadoff hitter Kaitlyn Anderson led the team in RBIs with three. Makenzie Staheli and Sierra Bunker each added a double on the offensive end. Ultimately, the Pirates won another game by mercy rule – this time with a 12-0 final score.
In their final home game of the season, the Pirates hosted the Pahrump Valley Trojans, the top seed from the other side of the Southern 3A. Three innings into the action, the Pirates appeared to be in a good spot: leading 2-1 on their home field. Pahrump swapped starting pitcher Kareena Nelson for reliever Hannah Cuellar. That, combined with an outburst by the Trojan offense in the fourth turned the game upside down.
Nine unanswered runs spread between the fourth and sixth innings closed the game 10-2 in favor of Pahrump Valley,. The Pirates found themselves in the loser’s bracket of the double elimination playoff tournament.
“We know Pahrump hits the ball top to bottom,” said MVHS coach Matt Messers of the Trojan lineup. “They’re disciplined and if you throw them a pitch down the middle, they’ll hit it.”
On the other side of the inning, he explained, “Offensively, we did well against their first pitcher, and then for some reason we couldn’t square up the new girl they brought in. Even our best hitters couldn’t line it up against her.”
With that loss, the Pirates found themselves with a second chance at going to the state tournament because of the double elimination playoff formula. The Boulder City Eagles were upset in the loser’s bracket by the Mojave Rattlers, who went on to fall to the Chaparral Cowboys. Because of this bizarre turn of events, Moapa got to meet the Cowboys once again, this time at a neutral site. In their three previous meetings, the Pirates outscored Chaparral by a combined score of 39-2.
With a trip to state on the line, Chaparral didn’t start quietly. In fact, they struck first by leading 1-0 in the opening inning. The Cowboys trailed 4-1 later in the contest. But a fifth inning home run scored two runs to close the gap to just 4-3. It was anyone’s game.
“All of a sudden, they had a little momentum, but our girls just calmed down,” Messer explained. “We knew we didn’t need to panic.”
A double-play by Anderson helped flip the switch. It carried into a monstrous sixth inning. Leading 5-3, the Pirates took advantage of a few errors to extend the separation to 8-3.
With two runners on base, Abbie Evans then hit a deep home run into left field that was the knockout punch to Chaparral’s hopes for an upset. The Pirates went on to win 12-5.
At the regional championship a day later, Moapa started sophomore Madi Fairchild for the first time all week due to fatigue for senior pitcher Emilie Barraza. Ultimately, the Pirates couldn’t hold their own against Pahrump, who has had Moapa’s number all year.
The Pirates fell 8-4, but wouldn’t shy away from another matchup with the Trojans.
“I wouldn’t mind playing them again knowing what we know now,” Messer said. “I’d love to have another shot.”
In the regional championship game, the Pirates outhit Pahrump 12-6 but fell short on the scoreboard.
Despite the loss, the Pirates still find themselves in the state tournament at Virgin Valley High School this weekend.
On Thursday, Moapa Valley will take on Fernley High School in their first game of the weekend as they seek to win the first softball state championship in school history.
