The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans baseball team continued their impressive postseason run with a decisive 8-0 shutout over the Virgin Valley Bulldogs on Thursday, May 8 in game three of the 3A Southern Region playoff tournament. With both teams entering the matchup carrying one loss, the game was a must-win to stay alive, and the Trojans delivered under pressure with a clean, dominant performance on both sides of the ball.
From the start, Pahrump Valley came ready to play. In the top of the first, Tony Whitney set the tone with a line drive single to left field. While a double play quickly followed, Aidyn Cratty added another single to keep the Trojans’ offense warm. Though they didn’t score in the opening frame, the team’s bats were showing signs of what was to come. On the mound, Andrew Zurn was locked in early, helping the Trojans retire the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the inning with help from a sharp throw by catcher Ben Cimperman to catch a runner stealing and a smooth ground out to second baseman Tony Whitney.
The Trojans broke through in the second inning. CJ Nelson led off with a single to center, followed by a productive ground out by Kayne Horibe that advanced the runner. After Cimperman was hit by a pitch and Cody Fried flied out deep enough for Nelson to tag up and reach third, Logan Donnelly delivered a clutch RBI single to left field to give Pahrump a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs once again went down quietly in their half, unable to find any rhythm against Zurn and a well-organized Trojan defense.
Both teams traded scoreless third and fourth innings, with the Trojans seeing scattered offensive chances but unable to capitalize until the sixth. That’s when they blew the game open. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Cimperman came through again with a line drive single to right that scored Aaron Rily. Then, in a heads-up play, Horibe raced home on a steal for another run. Though Fried was out on a dropped third strike to end the inning, the Trojans held a 3-0 advantage heading into the final two frames.
After another scoreless defensive effort that included solid infield work and a routine fly out to center, the Trojans exploded in the top of the seventh to seal the win. Donnelly grounded out to start the inning, but Tony Whitney walked, and Vinny Whitney was hit by a pitch to put two on. Both advanced on a double steal, and when Cratty walked to load the bases, Andrew Zurn came up with a huge two-run double to left, scoring both Whitneys and moving Cratty to third. CJ Nelson followed with a double of his own, driving in Cratty and Rily. Cimperman capped the rally with an RBI single to right, scoring Nelson and pushing the lead to 8-0.
Virgin Valley had no answer in the bottom of the seventh as the Trojans closed the game with yet another three-up, three-down defensive stand. It was a statement win that not only eliminated the Bulldogs but also demonstrated the Trojans’ balance of pitching, defense, and timely hitting.
With the victory, Pahrump Valley moves on to face Moapa Valley in the next round of the double-elimination tournament on Friday, May 9 at 1 p.m. in Boulder City. The winner of that contest will go on to face Boulder City immediately afterward, keeping the dream of a regional title and state berth alive.
*Photos are from a game earlier this season.
