Bulldogs Beat Pirates, 3-2

By DAVE BELCHER

The Progress

The state champion Virgin Valley baseball team traveled to Moapa Valley on Monday, April. 3 and came away with a narrow 3-2 victory over the Pirates.

VVHS junior Bryce Intagliata pitched 6 shutout innings for the Dawgs allowing only 3 hits and striking out 13 Pirates along the way in a dominating performance. Montoya closed out the game on the mound for the save, allowing 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh.

The Bulldogs started the game with 2 runs in the first inning. Intagliata singled on a fly ball to center field with one out. After a line drive out to third, Montoya walked, putting runners at first and second with two outs in the first. Dodger Smith then hit a ground ball to Tyson Staheli at short stop, forcing an error and loading the bases. Chandon Jensen promptly hit a single to left field scoring two runs and giving the Dawgs an early 2-0 lead.

The Moapa Valley batters went two of the first three innings with no hits: three up and three down. The Pirates got their first hit when Chandler Evans singled to left field after Staheli walked. Staheli advanced to second base on the hit where he would stay.

In the top of the fifth, VVHS junior Kurt Felix doubled to center with two outs. But he was stranded when Montoya flew out to center field.

Aidan Johnson singled to right field for the Pirates on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth. Chance Houston struck out then Tyson Pettingill walked, giving the Pirates runners at first and second bases with one out. But they still couldn’t score. Totten struck out on three pitches and Wrzensinski flew out to end the fifth.

Johnson struck out Waite to start the top of the seventh. He then walked Wakefield. Intagliata flew out to center for the second out. Felix grounded to first baseman Schouten and reached first on the error sending Wakefield to third base with two outs. Montoya then singled to right, scoring Wakefield. Smith then grounded to send the Bulldogs back into the field.

But the Pirates didn’t give up. Montoya came in to pitch relief for the Dawgs. Johnson hit a line drive and reached first on an error. Then Houston hit a fielder’s choice to Montoya who threw to Felix for the force out at second. Pettingill then grounded out to third advancing Houston to second base.

Totten hit a ground ball and reached first on a forced error while sending Houston to third. Totten then advanced to second on a pass ball. Wrzesinski grounded to third baseman Jensen. Houston and Totten both scored on the error, finally putting the Pirates on the board to keep the game interesting. Wrzesinski advanced to second.

Staheli was intentionally walked putting runners at first and second with two out.
Evans ended the inning with a ground ball to shortstop Felix who threw Evans out at first to end the game at 3-2. The Pirates scored both runs without hits.

Virgin Valley finished with six hits. All three Bulldog runs were unearned.
Johnson pitched all seven innings for the Pirates striking out five and walking three.
Intagliata pitched six innings allowing four walks and striking out 13. Both Pirate runs were unearned.