The Pahrump Valley High School baseball team faced a challenging matchup on Tuesday, March 10, traveling to take on the Legacy Longhorns, a Class 4A program. Despite a strong stretch in the middle innings and several solid defensive plays, the Trojans ultimately fell 9–4 in the non-league contest.
Pahrump showed early that it was ready to compete with the larger-school opponent, as both teams opened the game with strong defensive efforts.
The Trojans were unlucky in the top of the first inning, hitting the ball hard but finding gloves each time. Lead-off hitter Tony Whitney grounded out to shortstop, CJ Nelson followed with a foul pop caught by the catcher, and Legacy’s shortstop made an impressive leaping grab on a sharply hit line drive off the bat of Ben Cimperman to end the inning.
With Sam Mendoza on the mound for Pahrump, the Trojans returned the favor defensively in the bottom half. A groundout to Nelson at first base started the inning, followed by a flyout to Vinny Whitney in left field and a strikeout looking to retire the side.
The Trojans threatened in the second inning. Cody Fried led off with a sharp single to left field, and Jack Walker later added a single on a fly ball to center. After Anthony Montanez struck out, Dominic Chiancone delivered another single to load the bases. However, Legacy escaped the jam when Jacob Selbach’s fly ball to third base ended the inning with the score still tied.
Pahrump’s defense again held firm in the bottom of the second. Chiancone recorded a groundout at second to begin the inning before Mendoza added a strikeout swinging. A pair of singles briefly put pressure on the Trojans, but a flyout to right field ended the threat and kept the game scoreless.
The Trojans continued to apply pressure in the third. Tony Whitney struck out to start the inning, but Nelson reached base on a ground ball to the pitcher. After Cimperman struck out swinging, Fried delivered another line-drive single to left field to load the bases once again. Legacy again worked out of trouble, however, recording a groundout at first to strand the runners.
Legacy broke through in the bottom of the third. After a strikeout to open the inning, a line-drive home run to right-center field put the Longhorns on the board. A lineout to Tony Whitney at shortstop and a flyout to Vinny Whitney in left field ended the inning with Legacy holding a 1–0 lead.
Pahrump responded in a big way in the fourth inning.
Montanez started the rally with a line-drive single to left field and quickly moved into scoring position by stealing second. A dropped third strike allowed Chiancone to reach first while Montanez advanced to third, and Kayne Horibe drew a walk to load the bases.
Tony Whitney grounded out to shortstop but brought Montanez home to tie the game. After Nelson struck out, Cimperman came through with a clutch line-drive single to center field, driving in both Chiancone and Horibe to give the Trojans the lead.
Paul Walker entered as a courtesy runner for Cimperman and promptly stole second base. Fried then delivered again, singling on a hard ground ball to second base to bring Walker home. The Trojans capped the four-run inning with a 4–1 advantage before a groundout ended the frame.
Legacy answered in the bottom half of the inning. The Longhorns opened with a double to center field and added consecutive singles to plate a run. Two strikeouts briefly halted the rally, but a walk loaded the bases. A ground ball to second resulted in an error that allowed another run to score before a flyout to Vinny Whitney in left ended the inning with Pahrump still in front, 4–3.
The Trojans were retired in order in the fifth, with Jack Walker striking out, Montanez flying out to the pitcher, and Chiancone hitting a fly ball to right field.
Legacy used the bottom of the inning to even the score. The lead-off batter reached on an error at second base and advanced to second on the play. After a groundout advanced the runner to third, a fly ball to second allowed the tying run to cross the plate. Mendoza was relieved by Tony Whitney on the mound, and the Trojans quickly recorded the final outs to keep the game tied.
Horibe opened the sixth inning with a groundout to third. Tony Whitney followed with a single to put a runner on base, but a strikeout and a caught stealing at third base ended the opportunity for Pahrump.
Legacy took control of the game in the bottom of the sixth. A double and a walk set the stage before a line-drive single loaded the bases. The Longhorns capitalized with several timely hits and benefited from an error to push across multiple runs during the inning. A sacrifice fly added another run before the Trojans closed the frame with a flyout to center field, leaving Legacy ahead 9–4.
Pahrump was unable to generate a rally in the top of the seventh, and the Longhorns secured the 9–4 victory.
Despite the final score, the Trojans showed they could compete with a larger-school opponent, generating multiple scoring opportunities and delivering a strong offensive burst in the fourth inning. The effort also featured solid defensive plays across the field and a number of timely hits from the lineup.
The game provided valuable experience for the Trojans as they continue to build momentum early in the season against quality competition.
