The Pahrump Valley Little League Senior Division playoffs continued Tuesday, May 12, with the A’s and Dodgers battling through a back-and-forth contest that featured timely hitting, aggressive base running and momentum swings throughout all six innings.
The A’s struck first in the top of the opening inning against Dodgers starter Caleb Morales. After Andrew Chastain was retired on a pop out and Kasen Smith went down looking, Anthony Aguilar worked a walk to keep the inning alive. Bentley Shannon followed with a hard-hit single to center field, moving Aguilar to third before Jose Aguilar delivered the first big hit of the game, driving a triple into right field to score both runners and give the A’s an early 2-0 advantage.
The Dodgers answered immediately in the bottom half against A’s pitcher Andrew Chastain. Trustin Wagnon opened with a walk and quickly moved into scoring position with a stolen base. After Chris Mize Jr grounded out to bring Wagnon to third, Logan Nunez lined a single to center to plate the Dodgers’ first run and trim the deficit to 2-1.
Morales settled in during the second inning, striking out Emanuel Rojo Dejesus and Dominic Murphy while also recording a dropped third strike against Will Cassell to retire the side.
The Dodgers tied the game in the bottom of the second after Elias Stepp walked and Morales reached after being hit by a pitch. Angelo later drew a walk to load the bases before Lane Howard grounded out to first, allowing Stepp to score and even the game at 2-2. A key defensive play by the A’s followed shortly after when Jose Aguilar and catcher Bentley Shannon teamed up to throw out Morales at the plate during a steal attempt, helping limit the damage.
Neither team was able to break through in the third inning despite opportunities on both sides. Carlos reached and aggressively stole both second and third for the A’s, but Morales escaped the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
The Dodgers threatened in the bottom of the inning after Champ Colon singled and Wagnon reached after being hit by a pitch. Chastain and the A’s defense responded with a fly out and another strong defensive sequence, highlighted by Shannon throwing out Colon at second base on a pickoff attempt.
The fourth inning proved to be a turning point for the Dodgers. Although the A’s loaded the bases in the top half behind walks from Bentley Shannon, Emanuel Rojo Dejesus and Will Cassell, the Dodgers escaped without allowing a run after Chris Mize Jr handled a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
In the bottom half, the Dodgers capitalized on several baserunners to take their first lead of the night. Logan Nunez reached after being hit by a pitch before Ryder Dixon and Elias Stepp both drew walks to load the bases. After Morales struck out, Angelo earned a bases-loaded walk to push home the go-ahead run. The Dodgers later added two more runs during a chaotic sequence involving an error at first base, helping them build a 5-2 lead heading into the fifth inning.
The A’s responded with their biggest offensive inning of the game in the top of the fifth. Carlos opened the inning by reaching after being hit by a pitch and once again created pressure on the bases with steals of second and third. After consecutive walks loaded the bases, Andrew Chastain delivered an RBI single to right field to score Carlos. Kasen Smith followed with a bases-loaded walk, and Anthony Aguilar tied the game with an RBI single. Bentley Shannon then gave the A’s the lead with another clutch hit to right field before Kaiser Pormanes added another run on a fielder’s choice to cap a five-run inning and put the A’s ahead 7-5.
The Dodgers refused to go away in the bottom half of the inning. Champ Colon walked to start the frame before Wagnon reached after another hit by pitch. Chris Mize Jr executed a bunt that forced a play at third, and Alan Rodriguez delivered perhaps the biggest hit of the game for the Dodgers, driving a two-run double into right field to tie the game at 7-7. Kasen Smith worked out of further trouble with a strikeout of Ryder Dixon, and Kaiser Pormanes later recorded the final out on a ground ball to first.
The deciding run came in the top of the sixth. After Will Cassell walked and Carlos and Axel Melendex also reached to load the bases, Christopher Humphrey was hit by a pitch to force home Cassell and give the A’s an 8-7 edge. Logan Nunez limited the damage with a groundout to end the inning and keep the Dodgers within striking distance.
In the final half inning, Kaiser Pormanes took over on the mound for the A’s and worked through late pressure from the Dodgers. Caleb Morales reached after being hit by a pitch and Angelo later reached on an error, but the A’s defense once again came through in key moments. Bentley Shannon threw out Morales attempting to steal third, and Kasen Smith and Andrew Chastain combined on a groundout before Pormanes closed the game with a strikeout to seal the 8-7 victory.
Jose Aguilar led the A’s offensively with a triple and two RBIs, while Bentley Shannon collected two hits and scored twice. Anthony Aguilar added a hit, RBI and two runs scored, and Andrew Chastain contributed an RBI single while also pitching three innings. Morales struck out seven batters for the Dodgers, while Alan Rodriguez highlighted the offense with a game-tying two-run double in the fifth. Logan Nunez added an RBI single and scored once, and Wagnon crossed the plate twice while creating pressure on the bases throughout the night.
*These photos and more are available at pvcnphotos.com.
