The Pahrump Valley High School Lady Trojans softball team traveled to St. George, Utah, on Friday, March 6, to compete in the March Warm Up ELITE Varsity pool-play tournament, opening the event with an impressive pair of victories against the Manti Templars and the Green Canyon Wolves.
Facing teams from outside Nevada, the Trojans showcased both offensive production and strong pitching in their first two games of the tournament, earning an 8-2 win over Manti in the opener before following it up with a commanding 14-4 victory over Green Canyon later in the day.
In their first matchup of the tournament, the Lady Trojans took on the Manti Templars and entered the game as the visiting team. The Trojans’ first trip to the plate started quietly as strikeouts set down Aspen Middaugh and Dakota Glenn. Jaycie Hayes kept the inning alive with a hard ground ball to left field for a base hit, but another strikeout ended the inning.
Hayes then took the circle for the Trojans and quickly made her presence felt. She struck out Manti’s leadoff batter before issuing a walk. A fielder’s choice by third baseman Evalenne Armendariz kept the runner at second while allowing another batter to reach base. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position, but Hayes settled in and delivered another strikeout to put two outs on the board. Manti managed to push across two runs on a hard ground ball to right field before Hayes ended the inning with another strikeout, leaving the Trojans trailing 2-0.
The Trojans quickly responded in the top of the second inning as their offense came to life. Jaelyn Rodriguez started the rally with a single to center field. Avi Michel entered as a courtesy runner, and Madison “Madi” Rodriguez followed with a double on a fly ball to left field, moving Michel to third. Armendariz then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, bringing Michel home and advancing Rodriguez to third.
Riley Saldaña grounded out to first base, allowing Rodriguez to score and tie the game. Autumn Colon and Aspen Middaugh both worked walks to keep the inning alive before Sadie Freeman reached on a ground ball to second that resulted in an error. The miscue allowed Colon and Middaugh to score while Freeman advanced to second.
Hayes continued the offensive surge with a line drive double to right field, scoring Freeman. Mariah Gray reached base on an error off a pop fly to the pitcher, advancing courtesy runner Sydney Crotty, who had entered for Hayes. Although the inning ended with a strikeout, the Trojans had surged ahead 5-2 after a productive inning at the plate.
Back in the circle, Hayes delivered a dominant performance in the bottom of the second, striking out all three batters she faced to retire the side.
Both teams settled into a defensive rhythm in the third inning. Manti’s defense prevented the Trojans from extending their lead despite two runners reaching base, while Hayes continued to control the game from the mound. She recorded two more strikeouts in the bottom of the third before a lineout to Autumn Colon at second base ended the inning.
In the fourth inning, the Trojans threatened again. Middaugh opened with a line drive single to left field, and Hayes later added another hit, but Manti managed to escape without allowing a run after a caught stealing and a groundout.
Hayes continued her strong outing in the bottom of the fourth, striking out one batter, fielding a ground ball herself and throwing to first baseman Jaelyn Rodriguez for the out, and adding another strikeout to close the inning.
The Trojans added insurance runs in the top of the fifth. Jaelyn Rodriguez singled on a fly ball to center, and although Madison Rodriguez popped out to third, Armendariz drew a walk to put two runners on. Saldaña followed with a line drive single to left field to load the bases.
Colon delivered a key hit, doubling on a fly ball to left field and driving in both Rodriguez and Armendariz. Middaugh laid down a bunt that resulted in an out at the plate, and a strikeout ended the inning, but the Trojans had stretched their lead to 7-2.
Manti struggled to mount any comeback as Hayes continued to dominate, striking out two batters in the bottom of the fifth before a pop out to catcher Madison Rodriguez ended the inning.
The Trojans added their final run in the sixth inning. Hayes grounded out to shortstop before Mariah Gray and Jaelyn Rodriguez both recorded singles. Madison Rodriguez then ripped a line drive double to left field, scoring Gray to extend the lead to 8-2. Although the inning ended shortly after, Pahrump had built a comfortable advantage.
Strong defense in the bottom of the sixth kept the Templars from scoring again, sealing an 8-2 victory to open the tournament.
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Immediately following, the Lady Trojans returned to the field to face the Green Canyon Wolves and once again started quickly on offense.
Aspen Middaugh opened the game with a line drive single to center field and advanced to second on an error. After Dakota Glenn struck out, Jaycie Hayes delivered again with a line drive single to left field, scoring Middaugh, who had stolen third base. Mariah Gray followed with a line drive single to shortstop before Jaelyn Rodriguez grounded out and Madison Rodriguez popped out, ending the inning with the Trojans leading 1-0.
Evalenne Armendariz took the circle for the Trojans and turned in a strong first inning. She struck out the first two batters before issuing a walk and allowing a single that put two runners on base. The Wolves attempted to generate momentum on the bases, but the Trojans caught a runner stealing to end the inning and preserve the lead.
Both teams were quiet in the second inning as Green Canyon held the Trojans to three up, three down with a strikeout, flyout, and groundout. The Trojans’ defense responded with a clean half inning of their own, retiring the Wolves despite four batters coming to the plate.
Pahrump’s offense broke the game open in the third inning. Middaugh attempted to start things with a bunt but was thrown out at first. Sadie Freeman then drew a walk, and Hayes doubled on a line drive to right field to move Freeman to third.
Gray followed with a line drive single to center field to score Freeman, and Jaelyn Rodriguez added another run-scoring single on a line drive to shortstop that plated Gray. Madison Rodriguez bunted out to the pitcher before Armendariz delivered a line drive double to center field that scored Jaelyn Rodriguez.
After Riley Saldaña was hit by a pitch, Autumn Colon flew out to shortstop, but the Trojans had built a 5-0 lead.
Green Canyon managed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third after a runner reached on an error and advanced on a wild pitch. A groundout brought a run home, and a single followed before a groundout to shortstop ended the inning with the Trojans still comfortably ahead 5-1.
The Trojans then exploded offensively in the fourth inning, putting together a huge rally. Middaugh started the inning with a walk and Freeman was hit by a pitch. Hayes reached on a bunt single to load the bases.
A passed ball allowed Middaugh to score, and Gray followed with a hard ground ball to third that resulted in an error and brought Freeman home. Jaelyn Rodriguez grounded out but drove in another run, and Madison Rodriguez reached on an error after hitting a fly ball to short.
Armendariz was hit by a pitch to load the bases again before Saldaña singled on a line drive to left field to score another run. Colon then walked, forcing in a run. With Middaugh back at the plate, two more runs crossed on passed balls and wild pitches.
Middaugh added another hit with a line drive single to left field that brought Colon home. Freeman then laid down a bunt that resulted in an error by the first baseman, allowing Middaugh to score yet again.
The inning finally came to a close with a pop out and a baserunning out, but not before the Trojans had extended their lead to 14-1.
Green Canyon managed to push across three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning with a combination of hits and a few Trojan errors, but the deficit proved too large to overcome. The game concluded after the inning with the Trojans securing a 14-4 victory.
With two convincing wins to open pool play, the Lady Trojans showed both offensive firepower and strong pitching as they competed against out-of-state opponents in the St. George tournament. Their ability to generate timely hits, capitalize on scoring opportunities, and control the game from the circle set a strong tone for the remainder of the tournament.
