After opening the St. George Classic with two strong wins on Friday, the Pahrump Valley High School softball team returned to action Saturday for a full slate of three evening games, taking on Page, Hurricane and Highland in a demanding stretch of competition. The Trojans went 2-1 on the day, finishing the tournament with an impressive 4-1 overall record while showcasing explosive offense, aggressive baserunning and solid pitching throughout the weekend.
The first game of the day saw the Trojans deliver one of their most dominant offensive performances of the tournament in a 16-5 win over the Page Sand Devils.
Acting as the visiting team, Pahrump wasted no time setting the tone. Riley Saldaña led off by getting hit by a pitch and immediately applied pressure on the bases, stealing both second and third before scoring on a groundout by Mariah Gray. Jaycie Hayes followed with a single, and after Madison Rodriguez advanced the play with a bunt, Evalenne Armendariz delivered the big swing—a line drive home run to right field that scored two and gave the Trojans an early 3-0 lead.
Armendariz was equally effective in the circle, striking out the side in the bottom of the first to keep Page off balance.
From there, the Trojans steadily built their lead. Saldaña continued to create havoc on the basepaths, scoring again in the third after reaching on an error and advancing on small-ball execution. In the fourth, Dakota Glenn and Saldaña helped manufacture another run, extending the lead to 5-0.
The offense truly broke things open in the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, timely hitting from Mariah Gray and a clutch double by Hayes brought in multiple runs. The seventh inning turned into an offensive outburst, with contributions up and down the lineup. Saldaña, Gray, Hayes, Rodriguez and Jaelyn Rodriguez all played key roles in a rally that saw the Trojans plate seven runs in the frame. Rodriguez’s double and Jaelyn’s RBI single highlighted the surge, while aggressive baserunning continued to pressure the Sand Devils’ defense.
Despite a late push from Page, the Trojans closed out the 16-5 victory in seven innings.
In their second game of the evening, Pahrump faced the Hurricane Tigers and came away with a 9-3 win in a game that featured strong pitching and timely hitting.
Once again, Saldaña sparked the offense early, reaching base after being hit by a pitch and eventually scoring on a passed ball to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead. In the circle, Hayes delivered a steady performance, recording multiple strikeouts and limiting Hurricane’s opportunities.
The Trojans added to their lead in the fourth inning when Jaelyn Rodriguez and Dakota Glenn reached base, setting the stage for Saldaña to deliver again with an RBI single. The play turned into a two-run scoring opportunity as Glenn also crossed the plate, pushing the lead to 3-0.
Hurricane responded with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning, but Hayes quickly shut the door with three consecutive strikeouts to maintain control.
Pahrump pulled away in the fifth inning with a big offensive push. After Hayes reached and Myah Krolczyk came in as a courtesy runner, Madison Rodriguez drew a walk before Armendariz delivered a key double to score two runs. The Trojans continued to capitalize on passed balls, walks and aggressive baserunning, with Jaelyn Rodriguez and Tierra Demers each contributing to the scoring effort.
The Trojans added insurance runs in the sixth, including another RBI from Demers, and held Hurricane to just one more run to secure the 9-3 win.
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In the final game of the night, the Trojans took on Highland in a competitive matchup that ultimately resulted in a 6-2 loss.
Pahrump came out strong early, with Saldaña leading off with a single and Hayes driving her in shortly after to take a 1-0 lead. The Trojans added another run in the third inning when Hayes walked and later scored on a double from Madison Rodriguez, giving Pahrump a 2-0 advantage.
Defensively, the Trojans held their ground early behind Hayes in the circle, who worked through multiple innings with a mix of strikeouts and defensive support, including a diving catch in center field by Saldaña to end a scoring threat.
However, Highland began to shift momentum midway through the game. A home run in the fourth inning tied the score, and a big fifth inning—fueled by a combination of hits, walks and a defensive miscue—allowed Highland to plate four runs and take control.
Despite continued effort at the plate, the Trojans were unable to generate additional scoring opportunities down the stretch, as Highland’s defense held firm to close out the 6-2 result.
With a 2-1 performance on Saturday and a 4-1 overall finish in the tournament, the Trojans demonstrated depth, resilience and the ability to produce offensively in key moments.
“The St. George tournament was another good test for us,” said Head Coach Brian Hayes. “We were one bad inning from being a perfect 5-0 and defeating the #1 ranked team in Idaho—even without our starting middle infield.”
The weekend provided a strong test against out-of-state competition and valuable momentum as Pahrump continues its season.
