The Pahrump Valley High School junior varsity softball team opened its preseason schedule Tuesday, February 24, traveling to Las Vegas for an unofficial scrimmage against Bishop Gorman High School. Facing a 5A opponent, the 3A Lady Trojans used the matchup as an opportunity to settle into game action, test lineup combinations, and give players valuable early-season experience as the team begins shaping its identity for the year ahead.
As with preseason scrimmages, no official score was kept. Any scoring referenced came strictly from this publication’s notes rather than a scoreboard, as both teams focused on development and situational play rather than final results.
Pahrump Valley opened the game with early offensive production. Olivia Veloz reached base with a hard-hit ball back to the pitcher, setting the tone for an aggressive approach at the plate. Bella McHugh followed with contact that resulted in an overthrow at first, allowing a run to cross and giving the Lady Trojans early momentum.
In the circle, April Ivy started the game and worked through early pressure from Bishop Gorman’s lineup. Despite several base runners, the Lady Trojans showed defensive awareness, highlighted by Avi Michel making a catch at shortstop with the bases loaded to prevent additional damage.
Defensively, Pahrump Valley continued to settle in during the second inning. Ivy recorded a catch on a fly ball from the pitcher’s position, while Veloz handled a ground ball cleanly at shortstop and made a strong throw across the diamond. The inning ended with another defensive play by Ivy, who tracked down a fly ball to close the frame.
Offensively, the Lady Trojans continued putting the ball in play and forcing the defense to work. Melissa Glover reached base after battling through an at-bat, and Kailaney Anderson added contact that kept pressure on Bishop Gorman’s defense.
The third inning showcased strong defensive execution as McHugh moved into the pitching circle. Claudia Lopez made a running catch in center field, while Michel recorded multiple defensive plays at second base, including fielding a ground ball and completing the throw to first for the out.
Pahrump Valley continued rotating players throughout the game to maximize opportunities. Tierra Demers later took over pitching duties with Veloz behind the plate, while the defense continued to make routine plays around the field. McHugh added another defensive highlight with a catch at second base, and Michel again showed versatility in the infield, fielding a ball at shortstop during a scoring play.
The Lady Trojans created additional offensive chances in the fifth inning. McHugh reached safely after beating a play back to the bag at first, then aggressively advanced around the bases and eventually scored using smart baserunning. Lopez and Demers followed with contact to keep innings alive and generate opportunities.
Defensively, Pahrump Valley continued to show growth despite facing a higher-classification opponent. Michel made a difficult play on a tough bounce to record an out, while Veloz handled multiple chances at third base, throwing runners out at first to end innings.
Later innings saw additional pitching rotations as Veloz entered the circle, giving the Lady Trojans another opportunity to evaluate pitching depth. McHugh fielded a hard ground ball cleanly for an out, and the defense continued to work through challenging at-bats from Bishop Gorman’s lineup.
The Lady Trojans continued competing through the final inning, with Alexa Kumm reaching base after beating a throw to first and several players battling through tough at-bats against strong pitching.
Throughout the scrimmage, Pahrump Valley emphasized development, communication, and gaining experience against a larger program. The matchup provided valuable exposure to higher-level competition while allowing the coaching staff to evaluate positioning, pitching rotations, and situational play across the roster.
With multiple players contributing defensively and offensively, the scrimmage served as an important step in the Lady Trojans’ preseason development.
As the JV squad continues preparing for the season ahead, the experience gained against Bishop Gorman offered valuable lessons and encouraging moments, reinforcing the team’s progress as they build toward regular-season competition.
