The Pahrump Valley High School softball team put together a strong all-around performance on Tuesday, April 21, using a big seventh inning and steady pitching to defeat the Moapa Valley Pirates 19-5 on the road.
Pahrump Valley wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first. Aspen Middaugh sparked the offense with a bunt single, then moved to third on a sacrifice from Olivia Veloz. After Jaycie Hayes was hit by a pitch, Madison Rodriguez delivered with a fly ball single to left, driving in both Middaugh and Hayes for a quick 2-0 lead.
Moapa Valley answered in the bottom half, taking advantage of a single and an error to push across a run and cut the lead to 2-1. Evalenne Armendariz, who got the start in the circle, settled in from there, closing the inning with a strikeout and a groundout to limit further damage.
The Trojans threatened again in the second, loading the bases with singles and walks from Jaelyn Rodriguez, Sadie Freeman and Middaugh, but the Pirates worked out of the jam to keep it a one-run game.
In the third, Pahrump Valley extended its lead. Hayes and Rodriguez both reached on walks, and after moving into scoring position, Armendariz lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in Hayes. Jaelyn Rodriguez followed with a line drive single to center, scoring another run and giving the Trojans a 4-1 advantage.
Moapa Valley responded in the bottom of the third with a rally, stringing together hits to tie the game at 4-4. Despite the momentum shift, Armendariz limited the damage with a strikeout to end the inning.
The Trojans answered right back in the fourth. Middaugh reached on an error and Hayes worked a walk before Rodriguez again came through, putting the ball in play and reaching on an outfield error that allowed both runners to score, pushing Pahrump Valley back in front 6-4.
Moapa Valley added a run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 6-5, but that’s as close as they would get. Hayes entered the circle in relief and quickly made her presence felt, recording back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and regain control.
From there, the Trojans continued to apply pressure offensively. In the sixth, Pahrump Valley took advantage of walks and defensive miscues, with RBIs coming from Jaelyn Rodriguez, Freeman and Middaugh to extend the lead to 9-5.
The seventh inning put the game out of reach. The Trojans sent a steady stream of hitters to the plate, capitalizing on walks, hits and errors. Key contributions came from Rodriguez, Freeman, Middaugh, Veloz and Hayes, with Jaelyn Rodriguez adding another RBI single and multiple runs scoring on balls put in play. By the end of the inning, Pahrump Valley had built a commanding 19-5 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Hayes closed things out in the circle, recording two groundouts and a strikeout to secure the win.
Hayes was dominant in relief, finishing the game with eight strikeouts. That performance pushed her season total to 201 strikeouts, keeping her ranked first in the state in 3A, with the next closest pitcher sitting at 123.
Head Coach Brian Hayes said the performance — and the challenging conditions — made the win even more meaningful.
“The Moapa game definitely dealt us some diversity with the weather. It affected us both offensively and defensively with brutal wind gusts all game. Our girls played through it and didn’t let it affect them. We are proud of them for that,” he said. “As for Jaycie… She has worked really hard for this and it’s awesome to see it pay off for her.”
Offensively, the Trojans showed patience at the plate and the ability to capitalize on opportunities, with strong games from Rodriguez, Middaugh and Jaelyn Rodriguez, while Hayes contributed both at the plate and in the circle. Defensively, the team made key plays throughout, including a caught stealing from Madison Rodriguez behind the plate and solid infield work from Mariah Gray and Olivia Veloz.
With the win, Pahrump Valley continues to build momentum as the season progresses, combining timely hitting with dominant pitching to secure another strong result on the road.
