The Pahrump Valley High School baseball team opened its season in unforgettable fashion Thursday morning, February 26, rallying late to defeat the Moapa Valley Pirates 6-5 in walk-off fashion during the first annual Rod Poteete Memorial Tournament at Pahrump Valley High School. In a game full of momentum swings, resilience, and timely execution, the Trojans quite literally “sank the ship,” storming back in their final at-bat to hand their rival Pirates a dramatic defeat.
Moapa Valley, playing as the visiting team, struck first in the opening inning. The Pirates’ lead-off batter reached on a ground ball to third baseman Dominik Wilson, and after a strikeout, aggressive baserunning helped create an early scoring opportunity. The runner stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a groundout to second baseman CJ Nelson. Trojans pitcher Vinny Whitney limited further damage by striking out the next batter to end the inning.
Pahrump quickly answered in the bottom of the first. Anthony Montanez drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third on passed balls before Nelson grounded out to shortstop, allowing Montanez to cross the plate and tie the game at 1-1. Ben Cimperman grounded out, Cody Fried added a single, and the inning ended with the teams even.
The Trojans’ defense settled in during the second inning as Montanez recorded a clean play at shortstop and strong defensive coverage from left fielder Jacob Selbach and center fielder Kayne Horibe helped keep Moapa off the board. In the bottom half, Vinny Whitney flew out, Wilson worked a walk, but a pickoff and strikeout ended the inning.
Whitney opened the third with a strikeout, and the Trojans flashed defensive precision when catcher Ben Cimperman fired a perfect throw to Montanez at shortstop to catch a runner stealing second. Moapa later capitalized on an opportunity, using a single and an error to take a brief lead.
Pahrump responded again in the bottom of the third. After Selbach struck out, Montanez singled to center and stole second. Nelson grounded out before Cimperman delivered a clutch RBI double to center field, scoring Montanez and tying the game at 2-2.
Moapa regained momentum in the fourth inning, using a walk and a double to center field to score the go-ahead run. Another run crossed on a groundout to Wilson at third, giving the Pirates a 4-2 advantage. The Trojans went quietly in the bottom half, and Moapa extended its lead to 5-2 in the fifth after a triple, a single, and an error allowed another run to score.
Despite the deficit — and a challenging start to the morning — the Trojans never wavered. Head Coach Drew Middleton said the team had to battle through adversity early but continued to fight their way back into the game.
“We started a little slow. We exchanged runs early and tied it at two,” Middleton said. “Then we threw a couple picks away and a couple balls away, and suddenly it was 5-2 in the seventh inning. But the guys just kept fighting.”
Pahrump’s defense held firm late in the game. The Trojans worked out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings, highlighted by a pickoff at first base and steady fielding that prevented Moapa from adding insurance runs. Wilson took over pitching duties in the seventh, with key defensive plays from shortstop Tony Whitney and second baseman Dominic Chiancone helping keep the deficit within reach.
Trailing by three runs entering their final at-bat, the Trojans mounted a comeback that quickly energized the home crowd. Selbach opened the inning with a single, followed by another base hit from Montanez. Nelson’s flyout held the runners, and a walk by Cimperman loaded the bases.
Fried delivered the spark Pahrump needed, ripping a double to right field that scored Selbach and Montanez while advancing Cimperman to third and cutting the deficit to one. After a strikeout gave the Trojans two outs, Jack Walker stepped to the plate and delivered the decisive hit — a double that scored both Cimperman and Fried, completing the comeback and sealing the 6-5 walk-off victory.
Middleton said the comeback perfectly reflected the team’s mindset throughout the game.
“We just kept taking, taking, taking and clawed back in the seventh and ended up walking off Moapa 6-5,” he said. “The way that game scripted out, you couldn’t script your first win any better. The guys fought through adversity every step of the way.”
The win also carried special meaning for Middleton, marking his first varsity victory as head coach.
“That was an awesome comeback,” he said. “An awesome way to get my first win as a varsity coach. That was pretty special — and an awesome way to start the season.”
With resilience on full display and a dramatic rally to open the inaugural Rod Poteete Memorial Tournament, the Trojans proved early that this year’s squad has both the grit and determination to battle until the final out — and when the moment called for it, they were ready to sink the Pirates and claim victory on their home field.
