The Pahrump Valley Little League Senior Division season came to a close Thursday, May 14, as the Sr Braves captured the playoff championship with a 16-0 victory over the Sr A’s in the title game.
Both teams entered the championship matchup after strong playoff runs, and while the Braves used a big offensive performance to secure the win, the Athletics continued to battle throughout the contest with several defensive highlights and baserunners against a tough Braves pitching staff.
The Sr A’s threatened first in the opening inning against Braves starter Stetson Brown. Andrew Chastain opened the game with a walk and later stole second, while Kasen Smith also worked a walk to put two runners aboard with no outs. Brown settled in under pressure, striking out Caiden before shortstop Everett Abelar made consecutive defensive plays to end the inning, preserving the scoreless tie.
The Braves quickly responded in the bottom of the first against Athletics pitcher Anthony Aguilar. Justin Forsythe reached after being hit by a pitch and stole second before Nathan Elliott and Brown each drew walks to load the bases. Aguilar picked up a strikeout of Abelar to briefly slow the rally, but Zayne Tuck followed with a two-run single to left field to score Forsythe and Elliott. Sawyer Tillery later added another RBI on a fielder’s choice as Brown crossed the plate for a 3-0 advantage.
The Athletics put together another scoring opportunity in the second inning. Kaiser Pormanes singled to left field before Emanuel Rojo Dejesus added a base hit to put two runners on with no outs. Brown again worked out of trouble for the Braves, recording a strikeout and getting key outs on balls in play to strand both runners.
The Braves extended their lead in the bottom of the second inning. Ashton Toole drew a walk and later scored on a double by Carter Soileau to left field. Brown added a two-run single later in the inning to bring home Forsythe and Soileau, while aggressive baserunning continued to pressure the Athletics defense. Brown stole both second and third before eventually scoring to make it 7-0.
Everett Abelar entered in relief for the Braves in the third inning and turned in a strong outing on the mound. He struck out Axel Melendex and Christopher Humphrey before a hit batter and walk gave the Athletics another chance offensively. The inning ended when Abel Hoerth was caught stealing third on a defensive play involving catcher Zayne Tuck and third baseman Justin Forsythe.
The Braves offense broke the game open in the bottom of the third with a long stretch of extra-base hits and timely contact. Austin opened the rally with a single and later stole second before Ashton Toole reached on an error that allowed a run to score. Soileau followed with an RBI single, and Sean Alden drove in another run with a double to left field.
Forsythe added an RBI double before Elliott delivered one of the biggest moments of the championship game with an inside-the-park home run to right field, scoring two runs and pushing the lead to 14-0.
The Braves continued to add on as Brown singled and later scored on an RBI double from Abelar. Tuck followed with another RBI single during the inning before Athletics pitcher Kaiser Pormanes entered in relief and recorded a strikeout to stop the rally.
Despite the score, the Athletics continued to make defensive plays throughout the game. Kasen Smith handled multiple chances at shortstop, while Pormanes made several clean plays at first base. Aguilar also battled through difficult innings early while recording key strikeouts.
Abelar closed out the championship in the top of the fourth inning, allowing only a walk to Smith while striking out three more batters. Brown and Abelar combined to hold the Athletics to two hits while recording eight strikeouts.
Offensively for the Braves, Brown collected two hits and multiple RBIs while also making an impact on the bases. Elliott’s inside-the-park home run highlighted the championship effort, while Tuck, Soileau, Alden, Forsythe and Austin each contributed key hits during the decisive middle innings.
For the Athletics, Pormanes and Rojo Dejesus each recorded hits, while Chastain and Smith reached base multiple times during the game.
With the victory, the Braves closed out the season as the Pahrump Valley Little League Senior Division playoff champions.
