Pahrump Valley High School’s baseball team turned in a complete performance at home on Tuesday, April 28, using dominant pitching and timely hitting to secure a decisive win over Canyon Springs in a game that also carried special meaning beyond the scoreboard.
The night featured a homecoming of sorts for Canyon Springs assistant coach Richard Greene, a Pahrump Valley graduate and former Trojan player, who returned to his old field for the first time in a coaching role.
On the field, the Trojans set the tone immediately behind starting pitcher Kayne Horibe, who delivered a strong opening two innings. Horibe struck out two batters in the first and added three more in the second, working efficiently and keeping Canyon Springs off balance. Defensively, the Trojans were sharp early, highlighted by a clean play from Horibe to first baseman CJ Nelson to record an out.
Pahrump’s offense wasted no time backing him up. In the bottom of the first, Tony Whitney got things started with a line-drive single and aggressive baserunning, stealing second to move into scoring position. Anthony Montanez reached on an error, setting the stage for Nelson, who drove in the first run with a line-drive single. The Trojans continued to apply pressure, with Vinny Whitney bringing in another run on a fielder’s choice and Ben Cimperman adding an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.
The second inning proved to be the difference-maker. Montanez and Nelson each delivered doubles to drive in runs, while Horibe helped his own cause with a triple to center field, scoring two more. Jacob Selbach later added an RBI single, capping a big inning that pushed the Trojans comfortably ahead.
After Horibe’s strong start, Vinny Whitney took over on the mound in the third and didn’t miss a beat. He struck out two batters and worked efficiently through two scoreless innings, backed by solid defense that included clean infield work from Sammy Mendoza.
The Trojans added another run in the third after Jack Walker doubled and later came around to score on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 10-0. While the fourth inning didn’t produce additional runs, Pahrump continued to threaten offensively with hits from Kevin Farrell and Mendoza.
Vinny Whitney remained in control through the fourth, adding two more strikeouts. In the fifth, Dominik Wilson took the mound and closed things out efficiently, recording a strikeout and inducing two quick outs, including a ground ball to Tristan Torres at third base to end the game.
Offensively, Nelson, Montanez, Horibe, and Cimperman led the way, while Tony Whitney’s early spark and aggressive baserunning helped set the tone. On the mound, Horibe, Whitney, and Wilson combined for a dominant showing, consistently throwing strikes and generating quick outs.
Following the game, Head Coach Drew Middleton reflected on both the performance and a new tradition introduced to honor the team’s seniors.
“Kayne, Vinny and Dom Wilson all did extremely well on the mound,” Middleton added. “They threw strikes and got quick outs. Offensively, we did what we need to do and hit the ball hard. We talk about stacking good days together and keep grinding, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re in a good spot heading into next week.”
After the final out, each senior stepped to the plate one last time, facing a pitch thrown by a parent. One by one, they made contact and rounded the bases, high-fiving and hugging teammates and coaches before being met by their families at home plate. Each senior then collected dirt from the plate as a keepsake, marking a memorable close to their time on the field.
Regarding this new tradition, “A few years ago at DO, we went on a two-week trip to New Orleans and Alabama, and a few schools did that for their final home game for their seniors, and I loved it,” Middleton said. “I’ve kept it in my back pocket for when I got my first head coaching job. Family is everything to me, tradition is also very important to me, and I feel like that is the perfect way to send off our seniors on their final home game. That is something we will do every year that I am the head coach of this program. That was very special to be a part of.”
With a strong win and a meaningful tradition now in place, the Trojans are carrying this momentum into the final stretch of their season.
