The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans softball team hit the road to face off against the Needles Mustangs on Monday, April 14, and returned home with a thrilling 15-13 victory after a hard-fought battle. Despite a slow start, the Trojans showed grit, heart, and determination throughout all seven innings, racking up 14 hits and 12 RBIs in the process.
The game didn’t begin in the Trojans’ favor, with a quick three up, three down in the top of the first. On defense, starting pitcher Evalenne Armendariz held the Mustangs to just one run, even after a few early defensive errors. That brief glimpse of momentum by Needles didn’t shake the Trojans, who came alive in the second inning. Sunday Colon reached on an error to lead off, followed by a base hit from Riley Saldaña. Madison Rodriguez launched a double that scored both runners. Mariah Gray drew a walk, and a combination of a wild pitch and passed ball allowed Rodriguez to cross home plate before the Mustangs managed to shut things down.
Needles responded in the bottom of the second with a five-run rally, fueled by timely hitting and a double that cleared the bases. By the end of the inning, the Mustangs had stretched their lead to 6-3. The Trojans kept fighting. In the third, Danika Cox-Hosino reached on a walk, advanced on an error, and scored on a base hit from Saldaña. The Mustangs, however, weren’t finished and pushed across another five runs in the third inning thanks to a two-out rally and multiple base hits, bringing the score to 11-4.
Both teams were quiet in the fourth inning, as defense took over on both sides. But in the fifth, the Trojans started to chip away at the lead. Autumn Colon led off with a double and eventually scored, followed by Danika Cox-Hosino crossing the plate on a Mustang error. The Trojans held the Mustangs to just one base hit in the bottom of the inning, with their defense executing a double play and shutting down any scoring chances.
The sixth inning marked the turning point of the game. With two outs and nobody on base, the Trojans mounted an impressive rally. Autumn Colon doubled, followed by a base hit from Cox-Hosino. Evalenne Armendariz and Sunday Colon each reached, and Saldaña delivered a key double to score Evalenne. Madison Rodriguez stayed hot, driving in three more runs. Mariah Gray added to the offensive effort with a base hit, scoring Rodriguez and giving the Trojans their first lead of the game, 12-11.
Back on defense, the Trojans continued to shine with another quick inning, holding the Mustangs scoreless again and stranding a runner on third. In the top of the seventh, Quinn Kaucky led off with a hit and later scored on a single by Autumn Colon. Then Evalenne Armendariz stepped up and smashed a two-run home run, putting the Trojans up by four.
The Mustangs made one final push in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs on errors, but the Trojans dug in and closed it out, sealing the 15-13 win.
It was a true team effort for the Trojans, who rallied from behind with resilience, offensive power, and solid defense when it counted. With 14 hits and 12 RBIs, the team showed what they’re capable of and left Needles with a well-earned victory and a momentum boost for the games ahead.
*Photos are from earlier this season.
