Pirates Beat Bulldogs, 6-2

By DAVE BELCHER

The Progress

Game two in the 2023 rivalry between the Pirates and Bulldogs took place at Virgin Valley High School on Friday, April 21. The Pirates defeated the defending state champion 6-2 winning their third game of the week. With the win, the Pirates now occupy the first place spot in the 3A South Mountain league.

Bulldog pitcher Martin Jordan allowed 4 Pirates hits and gave up 4 earned runs in 3.1 innings pitched. Stratton Waite took the mound for two innings allowing 2 hits and striking out 2. Mason Montoya allowed 3 hits while pitching 1 inning and striking out 3.

The winning pitcher was Tyson Staheli who went nearly six innings, threw 111 pitches, struck out nine and walked 3. Garrett Hadley pitched one of the innings with 4 strikeouts.

The Pirates scored first when Landon Wrezsinski came home on a single hit by Chandler Evans in the top of the first inning.

Virgin Valley answered with 2 runs at the bottom of the first when Felix doubled in Wakefield and Montoya sacrificed to right field to score Waite.

But that was all of the scoring for the Dawgs who lost their first league game of the year and now sit a half a game back behind the Pirates.

Moapa Valley scored a run in the second inning to tie the game when Matheson made it home from third. Staheli struck out the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the second with a tied game 2-2
Moapa Valley would take the lead for good in the third inning when Aidan Johnson doubled in Matteson.

Virgin Valley loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the inning. But Staheli struck out the final two batters ending the Bulldog threat.

The Pirate scored another run in the fifth when Evans ran home on Logan Schouten double for a 4-2 lead.

Moapa would score again in the sixth inning, Totten scored on a Montoya walk to Tyson Pettingill. Rawlinz Porter scored on Evans double to center for a final of 6-2.

Evans drove in 2 RBI for the Pirates while Schouten, Pettingill and Johnson each drove in one.
Kurt Felix got two hits for the Bulldogs. Wakefield, Montoya and Dodger Smith each got one. Felix and Montoya each drove in a run in the game.

Virgin Valley will play Western and Liberty this week.

Moapa Valley will host Eldorado on Wednesday, April 26 starting at 3:30 pm. Then the Pirates play Western on Saturday at 10 am, also on the home field.