By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School Softball team has officially begun its 2018 season. With the players setting their sights on a state championship game appearance, they looked to get started on the right note. The annual Desert Winds softball tournament in Mesquite provided an opportunity for Moapa to start hot and set the tone.
But in their first game of the season, the Pirates received a tough draw. They took on Aquinas (California). The Falcons had yet to lose a game at the Desert Winds tournament since they started showing up years ago. The Pirates were determined, however, to end Aquinas’ streak of victories in this tournament.
It was a close matchup. But with starting pitcher Emilie Barraza on the mound, the Pirates held up when they needed to. They held on to a small lead through the game and would pull off the unanticipated victory by a score of 9-7.
Senior Aria Messer led the team with three RBIs.
Barraza was able to help the team on the offensive end as well by adding a pair of hits.
This win was perhaps the perfect way for a team with high goals to start their journey.
Following this win, the Pirates took on Lincoln County on Friday afternoon and kept their momentum going. They would take away a 12-10 victory against the Lynx and carry their 2-0 record into a game later that day against the Elko Indians.
Against the Indians, the Pirates started out in an exciting fashion. Both Lainey Cornwall and Kessa Evans hit home runs in the first inning. These big hits carried the Pirates to a 4-2 lead.
But in the second inning the Indians responded with a burst of their own, claiming a 7-4 lead.
The momentum swung once more as Moapa scored six runs in the third to lead 10-7. They’d hold on in the final innings. The go ahead run came courtesy of Aria Messer thanks to a hit and RBI via sophomore Kaitlyn Andersen. The final score would be 10-9 and the Pirates were headed to the tournament championship.
There, they took on California’s Aquinas High School once again. This time, the Pirate offense didn’t take off as it had in previous games. The Falcons scored six runs over the game and Moapa wasn’t able to match that total. Aquinas did not allow hitting to come easy. The final score in this championship game would stand at 6-3, as the Falcons defended their title.
Regardless of the loss, the Pirates learned the potential they have this year early.
“It was extremely exciting to see our team click so early this year,” said junior pitcher Emilie Barraza. “The tournament was a lot of fun to be a part of and it was a great learning experience. I think it’s just a taste of what is in store for us this season.”
Her teammate, Lainey Cornwall, also a junior, touched on why the team was able to play so well in their first three games. “We had trust in our coaches and their decisions as well as in each other and what we are capable of,” Cornwall said.
As for what the team was able to take away strategically, Barraza said, “We learned a lot about momentum changes and how to keep each other up. Encouraging each other really helps when things aren’t going our way. I think everyone had little things they’d like to do better on. But as a team, I felt we did great.”
Team captain Aria Messer, a senior, was enthused about the weekend. But she also noted where there was room for improvement. “I think it’ll build our confidence as a team and get our momentum rolling early,” she said. “We learned that we have to start strong and be able to have a short memory after mistakes.”
MVHS head coach Matt Messer said of his girls and their performance at the tournament, “It was our best showing at this tournament in the six years I’ve been coaching. I’m very encouraged and optimistic that we will continue to get better.”
The Desert Winds tournament exposed the areas in which the Pirates need to work on. But it also provided clear confidence and optimism going into the next tournament this weekend and league games just weeks away. Time will tell what the Pirates can do to build off this experience.
