The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans baseball team put together a strong showing at the Route 66 Tournament hosted by River Valley High School in Needles, California, from March 6-8. Competing against a mix of tough opponents, the Trojans finished the tournament with a 3-2 record, bringing their overall season tally to 9-2-1 as of the end of the tournament.
Game 1: Trojans Fall to River Valley in Close Battle (7-10)
The Trojans kicked off the tournament against the host River Valley Dust Devils on March 6 in a game that ended with a 7-10 loss but featured plenty of action. In the top of the first, Tony Whitney led off but struck out, though Aidyn Cratty reached base on an error by the second baseman and stole second on a passed ball during Kayne Horibe’s at-bat, which ended in a walk. Andrew Zurn and Ben Cimperman struck out, leaving two runners stranded, keeping the score at 0-0. Horibe took the mound in the bottom half, striking out the first and third batters while a double slipped through; a final strikeout held the Dust Devils scoreless.
The top of the second saw Chris Nelson single to left, but Jack Walker struck out. Cody Fried reached on a fielder’s choice, erasing Nelson at second, and Vinny Whitney walked. Fried moved to third on a wild pitch, and Tony Whitney’s single to short scored him, with Vinny advancing to second before Cratty lined out, putting the Trojans up 1-0. The Dust Devils answered in the bottom half with a walk, an error, and a single to score one, followed by errors loading the bases. A sacrifice fly and a double added three more runs, though an out at home closed the inning at 1-4.
The third inning showcased power from Pahrump as Horibe crushed a home run to left field. Andrew Zurn followed with a double. Cimperman reached on an error, advancing Zurn to third, and Nelson’s single to center scored Zurn, though courtesy runner Anthony Montanez was out at third. Fried singled to score Nelson, and Vinny Whitney’s single, aided by an error, set up Fried to score on a passed ball before Tony Whitney grounded out, giving the Trojans a 5-4 lead. The Dust Devils started the bottom of the third with a double, but three strikeouts kept them from scoring.
In the fifth, Jack Walker walked, advanced on a single by Vinny Whitney, and scored on an error by the Dust Devils’ infield. Despite leading 6-4, River Valley responded with six runs in the bottom of the inning due to defensive miscues and key hits. A final attempt to rally in the sixth saw Horibe walk, Zurn single, and Nelson drive in Horibe, but a double play ended the comeback attempt. Despite the loss, the Trojans kept the game competitive throughout.
Game 2: Trojans Dominate North Valley Christian Academy Lions (17-3)
Looking to bounce back, Pahrump squared off against North Valley Christian Academy on March 7 and put together an offensive clinic in a 17-3 win.
Ben Cimperman got the start and held the Lions to minimal offensive production, going four up, three down in the first two innings. Pahrump took control early, with Tony Whitney and Aidyn Cratty reaching base and stealing aggressively. Whitney scored on a throwing error, while Cratty advanced on stolen bases and came home on a single from Nelson, ending the inning at 2-0.
The top of the second saw the Trojans hold the Lions to three up, three down. In the bottom half, Fried popped out, Aaron Rily walked, and Anthony Montanez reached on a dropped third strike, scoring Rily after stealing bases. Montanez stole more bases and scored on an error, while Tony Whitney doubled and scored on Cratty’s wild pitch reach. Zurn’s single scored Cratty, and Nelson’s single scored Zurn, pushing the lead to 7-0. The Lions fought back in the top of the third with a walk and double to score one, followed by an error for another run, making it 7-2. The Trojans responded in the bottom half with Rily singling, Montanez walking, and Tony Whitney walking to load the bases. Passed balls and Ryan Hamlin’s groundout scored two, while Zurn’s single scored two more, and Rily walked in a run, ending at 12-2.
The top of the fourth was another three-up, three-down inning for the Lions. In the bottom half, Dominic Chiancone grounded out, Hamlin was hit by a pitch, and Connor Horton and Walker walked to load the bases. Dominik Wilson’s walk scored Hamlin, Donnelly’s single scored two, and Fried’s single plus Kevin Farrell-Cardoza’s hit added two more, bringing the score to 17-2. Joseph Leftwich pitched in the top of the fifth, allowing one run on a single and error before closing out the game at 17-3. The Trojans’ sharp hitting and smart base running made this a standout performance.
Game 3: Pahrump Crushes Mohave Thunderbirds (16-4)
Friday’s second game had the Trojans as visitors against the Mohave Thunderbirds, resulting in a 16-4 win. In the top of the first, Tony Whitney walked, stole bases, and scored on a passed ball. Horibe singled and scored on Nelson’s single, making it 2-0. The bottom half saw an error and steal score one for the Thunderbirds, narrowing it to 2-1.
The top of the second featured Vinny Whitney walking, Fried walking, and Tony Whitney’s double scoring Vinny for a 3-1 lead. In the bottom half, the Thunderbirds loaded the bases with singles and a walk, scoring two to tie it at 3-3 before a double play limited the damage. The Trojans took control in the top of the third as Zurn walked, Nelson singled to score Zurn, and Donnelly’s hit plus errors scored three more. Fried scored on Cratty’s single, pushing the lead to 8-3. The bottom of the third saw three fly-outs for the Thunderbirds.
In the top of the fourth, Zurn walked and scored on a wild pitch, while Fried’s single scored two, and Tony Whitney singled and scored, making it 13-3. The Thunderbirds added one run in the bottom half with three singles, bringing it to 13-4. The top of the fifth saw Zurn reach on an error, Nelson walk, and Donnelly’s single score two, with Fried’s single adding another run before time constraints ended the game at 16-4. The Trojans capitalized on every chance, making this a strong showing.
Game 4: Trojans Stumble Against Palo Verde Valley Yellow Jackets (1-4)
Saturday’s first game on March 8 pitted the Trojans as the home team against the Palo Verde Valley Yellow Jackets, ending in a 1-4 loss. Aidyn Cratty pitched in the top of the first, allowing two runs on an error after a hit-by-pitch and single, putting the Yellow Jackets up 2-0. In the bottom half, Tony Whitney singled and stole bases but was left stranded.
The top of the second saw the Yellow Jackets go three up, three down. The Trojans found some rhythm in the bottom half with singles by Nelson and Vinny Whitney, but no runs scored. The top of the third was another three-up, three-down inning for the Yellow Jackets. In the bottom half, Tony Whitney reached on an error, Horibe walked, and Zurn singled to load the bases, but no runs crossed. The top of the fourth had the Yellow Jackets go four up, three down, while in the bottom half, Donnelly singled, and an error on Tony Whitney’s single scored Donnelly for a 2-1 score.
The Yellow Jackets added one run in the top of the fifth with a single and errors, making it 3-1. The Trojans managed only a single by Nelson in the bottom half. The top of the sixth saw the Yellow Jackets score once more, pushing it to 4-1, and the Trojans went three up, three down in the bottom half. The seventh inning ended with a single for the Trojans but no further scoring, closing at 4-1. Though they couldn’t pull ahead, the Trojans stayed in the fight.
Game 5: Pahrump Closes Strong with 6-3 Win Over Lee Williams Volunteers
Determined to end the tournament on a high note, the Trojans wrapped up the tournament on March 8 with a 6-3 victory over the Lee Williams Volunteers as the visiting team. In the top of the first, Tony Whitney struck out, but Cratty singled, stole bases, and scored on an error. Horibe walked and scored on Nelson’s single, and a bases-loaded walk on Vinny Whitney walked in Zurn for a 3-0 lead. The Volunteers went three up, three down in the bottom half.
The second inning saw Whitney walk, advance on a wild pitch, and score on Zurn’s single. Nelson followed with an RBI hit to bring in Horibe, making it 5-0. The Volunteers rallied for two runs in the bottom half, bringing it to 5-2. The top of the third left two Trojans on base, and the bottom half was three up, three down. Neither team scored in the fourth or fifth innings due to solid pitching and fielding. In the top of the sixth, Zurn doubled, and courtesy runner Montanez scored on Nelson’s groundout, pushing it to 6-2. The Volunteers added one run in the bottom half, ending the game at 6-3. This win provided a strong finish to the tournament.
Looking Ahead
The Trojans showed strength throughout the tournament, overcoming adversity and showcasing their depth. Their offense was explosive in multiple games, and their ability to adjust to different pitchers and capitalize on errors was a key factor in their three wins. With a record of 9-2-1 at the end of the tournament, Pahrump heads into their next matchups with confidence and momentum, ready to build on their strong start to the season.
