The Pahrump Valley High School softball team continued its preseason schedule Tuesday, February 24, traveling to Las Vegas for an unofficial scrimmage against Bishop Gorman High School. Facing another strong 5A opponent, the 3A Lady Trojans showed noticeable growth and defensive improvement while gaining valuable game experience ahead of upcoming tournament play.
As with all preseason scrimmages, no official score was kept. Any scoring referenced came strictly from this publication’s notes rather than a scoreboard, as both programs focused on preparation, player evaluation, and situational play rather than results.
From the opening inning, Pahrump Valley demonstrated sharp defensive execution against Bishop Gorman’s lineup. After early strikeouts by Aspen Middaugh and Autumn Colon in the top of the first, Jaycie Hayes worked a walk to give the Lady Trojans their first baserunner before Mariah Gray put the ball in play to end the frame.
Jaycie Hayes led the Lady Trojans on the mound throughout the entire contest, helping anchor a strong defensive effort against Bishop Gorman’s lineup. The defensive highlight of the day came immediately in the bottom half of the inning. With a runner threatening to score, the Lady Trojans executed a pair of strong defensive plays at home plate. A throw cut down a runner attempting to score, and moments later Sadie Freeman tracked down a fly ball in right field and fired a throw home, where Gray applied the tag for another out — a sequence that showcased communication and awareness across the field.
Head Coach Brian Hayes said defensive consistency was one of the biggest improvements from the previous scrimmage.
“I think our defense played a lot better today,” Hayes said. “We made some pretty good plays, and I think that just boils down to keeping our defense out there.”
Pahrump Valley continued to apply pressure offensively in the second inning. Jaelyn Rodriguez reached base on a soft single over second base, while Evalenne Armendariz followed later with a deep drive that struck the top of the center-field fence, narrowly missing a home run and resulting in a single. Strong defensive play by Riley Saldaña, who made a catch near the warning track in the bottom half of the inning, helped keep the game competitive.
The Lady Trojans broke through offensively in the third inning. Sadie Freeman reached base, stole second, and advanced again as Myah Krolczyk put the ball in play. Dakota Glenn then delivered a hard-hit single to bring home a run, highlighting the team’s ability to capitalize on opportunities. Later in the inning, productive contact from Middaugh and Colon helped advance runners and continue offensive pressure.
Defensively, Pahrump Valley remained steady through the middle innings. Armendariz handled a clean play at third base, while Colon and J Rodriguez recorded routine outs around the infield. Saldaña tracked down another fly ball in center field on the run, holding runners in place with a strong throw back to the infield. Freeman added another key defensive moment with a catch in right field to close out an inning.
Hayes noted that situational execution improved compared to earlier preseason action.
“The only difference in this game is we had some people take advantage of some of the moments that we’ve been talking about — two-out runs, two-out hits,” Hayes said. “It was a good way to finish.”
The Lady Trojans continued rotating players throughout the game as part of their preseason evaluation process. Natalie Soto saw action, while April Ivy and others contributed defensively as the coaching staff worked to give as many athletes as possible meaningful repetitions.
Late in the scrimmage, Pahrump Valley delivered another strong offensive moment. Middaugh reached base on a bunt and later advanced into scoring position before Hayes drove a line drive to left-center field that bounced off the fence for a double, bringing home the tying run according to this publication’s notes. The Lady Trojans followed with strong pitching and defense in the final inning, recording back-to-back strikeouts and a clean defensive finish to close the scrimmage.
Hayes said facing high-level competition early in the season is intentional as the team prepares for tournament play and continued development at the plate.
“We’re trying to see this caliber of pitching with our schedule,” Hayes said. “You’re not always going to have a lot of success against good pitching, but if we’re seeing the swing paths we need, that’s the success we’re looking for. It’s about getting reps and getting game-like reps.”
The scrimmage marked another encouraging step forward for the Lady Trojans as they continue preparing for a busy stretch of games ahead. Competing closely with a 5A program while showing defensive growth and improved situational hitting provided valuable momentum as Pahrump Valley moves toward its tournament in Needles, where Hayes hopes the team can continue building through increased game experience.
