Despite outhitting Pahrump Valley on Wednesday, March 25, and Friday, the 27th, Virgin Valley High School fell to the Trojans 5-4 in 10 innings and 9-4 on Friday. On Wednesday the Bulldogs started Degan Shaner on the mound. Shaner gave up six hits and three runs in two innings as the Dawgs fell behind, 3-0.

Tray Hughes came in relief in the bottom of the third inning. The Dawgs rallied for two runs in the top of the third inning to cut the Trojans’ lead to 3-2. Shaner started the rally with a single. Jordan Goodsell followed with a triple to right field, scoring pinch runner Tye Felix for the Dawgs’ first run of the game. Koby Perry hit a long sacrifice fly to right, adding the second run.

The Dawgs tied the game 3-3 in the top of the fourth inning on two hit batters and a single by Perry. The teams battled evenly until the Trojans took back the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on an error, walk and single. The Dawgs had to rally in the last inning to stay in the game and didn’t disappoint as they tied the game 4-4 on a single by Parker Litzenberger, a walk to Malachi Jordan and an RBI single from Hughes.

Perry relieved Hughes in the ninth inning. The Bulldogs went down in order in their top of the tenth inning. The Trojans took advantage of Bulldog pitching with a walk, a hit batter and a sacrifice bunt putting runners on second and third. The next batter hit a walk-off single, ending the game 5-4. Perry took the loss in relief.

The Dawgs outhit the Trojans 12-10 in the game, with Hughes, Shaner, Litzenberger and Krew Perry leading the way with two hits each. The loss set up a repeat match on Friday in Mesquite.

Friday’s matchup was a pitching battle between Uriah Perieda and Trojan V. Whitney. Good defense on both sides kept the game 0-0 going into the top of the fifth inning. The Trojans took advantage of a tiring Pereida, scoring eight runs to blow the game wide open. Two singles and a walk followed by two doubles gave the Trojans a 3-0 lead. Three straight walks loaded the bases, followed by another walk and a triple, brought the rally to 7-0.

A double increased the Trojan lead to 8-0 before Litzenberger in relief shut down the Trojans.

The Bulldogs attempted to rally in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring three runs on singles by Goodsell, Shaner and a double from pinchhitter Ty Felix. The Trojans increased their lead to 9-3 in the top of the seventh inning.

The Bulldogs finished the scoring in their half of the inning with one run, making the score 9-4 in Pahrump’s favor. The Bulldogs outhit the Trojans 15-10 but could not get hits at the right time. Shaner led the Dawgs with three hits, followed by Goodsell, Perry and Perkins with two hits each.

The Dawgs host archrival Moapa Valley on Monday, March 30, Newbridge on Tuesday and travel to Western on Thursday before finishing the week at Moapa Valley on Friday.