The Pahrump Aztecs opened their winter season Saturday, January 10, hosting Clark in a home doubleheader that marked the debut of Pahrump’s new high school–age club baseball program. Coached by new Pahrump Valley High School head baseball coach Drew Middleton, the Aztecs split the day with a 7–4 win in the opener before dropping the second game 7–5, but the afternoon was about far more than wins and losses.
Middleton created the club program to close a long-standing gap in game exposure between Pahrump players and their counterparts in larger baseball markets. While many Las Vegas players log well over 100 games per year between fall, spring, and summer seasons, local players have traditionally seen far fewer live reps. The Aztecs are designed to change that, giving players meaningful game repetition, exposure to advanced systems, and a chance to compete against other high school programs well before the spring season begins.
“What I’m asking them to do is a completely different system than what they’ve ever done before,” Middleton said after the games. “The only way to learn it is through live game reps. This gets us closer to where we need to be on day one instead of trying to figure it out once league play starts.”
The club is made up entirely of high school players, many of whom are competing for varsity roles this spring. Participation is encouraged but not required, particularly for multi-sport athletes finishing basketball or wrestling seasons. Middleton emphasized that the goal is development — learning tempo, situational awareness, and trust — not results in the standings.
“We’re running playing cards instead of traditional signs, calling back picks with the bases loaded, and putting guys in situations they’ve never seen before,” he said. “If we make mistakes now, that’s okay. This is where we learn.”
That philosophy was on display throughout both games against Clark, which fielded its high school roster as well.
In the opening game, the Aztecs jumped out early and played clean, aggressive baseball. Cody Fried started on the mound with Tristen Torres catching, working through early pressure that included a bases-loaded situation before the defense tightened up. Offensively, Tony Whitney and Anthony Montanez set the tone by getting on base in the first inning, with Fried and Kayne Horibe driving in early runs.
Vinny Whitney took over on the mound in the third inning and delivered three strong frames, shutting down Clark while the defense executed multiple heads-up plays to catch runners who strayed too far off the bases. At the plate, CJ Nelson delivered a key RBI, and Jacob Selbach provided one of the biggest swings of the game with a deep triple to right field in the fourth inning, driving in two runs. Tony Whitney followed with another RBI to push the lead to 7–3. Clark added a late run, but the Aztecs closed out the 7–4 win with steady pitching and composed defense.
The second game saw Clark respond, but Pahrump continued to show flashes of the aggressive, high-IQ style Middleton is installing. Tony Whitney opened the game on the mound, and the defense made several key plays in the outfield to limit damage early. Offensively, the Aztecs struck quickly as Whitney walked and used aggressive baserunning to score, followed by a hard-hit triple from CJ Nelson that brought in two more runs. Later in the inning, Nelson stole home during a rundown attempt, highlighting the pressure the Aztecs consistently applied on the bases.
Pitching duties rotated as the game progressed, with Middleton continuing to evaluate arms and defensive versatility. Pahrump answered again in the middle innings with extra-base hits and timely baserunning, but Clark capitalized on a few miscues late to edge ahead. Despite continued pressure, the Aztecs were unable to complete the comeback, falling 7–5.
Despite the split, Middleton was pleased with what he saw on the field.
“For the first day of us being together, I felt like we played really good baseball,” he said. “We cut down strikeouts, put the ball in play, and competed. There’s still a learning curve, but that’s exactly why we’re doing this.”
The Aztecs will continue their winter schedule through early February, wrapping up just before high school tryouts begin on February 14. The spring season officially opens February 26, when Pahrump will host an opening tournament featuring teams from Reno and Moapa — a fitting next step for a group already gaining valuable experience well ahead of the regular season.
