Trojans drop matchup with Eagles in fight for league lead

The Pahrump Valley baseball team faced the Boulder City Eagles in an important league matchup on Monday afternoon that could decide the winner of the 3A Desert League.

The Trojans and the Eagles entered Monday’s game in a three-way tie with Clark High School for the league lead. All three teams had an identical league record of 4-1.

Following Monday’s 14-4 loss to Boulder City, Pahrump Valley has now fallen down to the third seed in the Desert league standings. They have already clinched a playoff spot, so now they’re in the process of getting the best possible position going into the playoffs.

Pitch-control was an issue for the Trojans on Monday.

Kyle McDaniel got the start on the mound for the Trojans. He got into trouble early and lasted just one and two-thirds innings. McDaniel walked five batters in his brief time on the mound. He also gave up three hits and allowed eight runs to score.

After the Trojans scored four runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-2 lead, the Eagles pounded the Pahrump Valley pitchers for six runs in the bottom of the second to take a 8-4 lead, and they never looked back.

Much like the first matchup between these two teams, the Trojans couldn’t get anything going at the plate after the second inning. The team combined for just two hits in the final three innings of the game.

All five Trojan hits came from different batters.

McDaniel helped himself out and got the scoring started with an RBI fielder’s choice in the second inning. He was able to beat out a ground ball and get safely to first base while Scott Hirschi came in to score.

Fidel Betancourt replaced McDaniel in the second inning. He pitched the remaining two and two-thirds innings of the game, allowing six runs on six hits. He, like McDaniel, had trouble controlling the ball. Betancourt walked four batters and hit three others.

It was a tough day on the mound for the Trojans.

Despite dropping to third following the loss, the Trojans still have a chance to get back up into the top spot of the league before the playoffs.

Depending on how Wednesday goes, we could be talking about another three-way tie for first place in the league, if all goes right, heading into the final week of the regular season.

The Trojans will host the Valley Vikings this Wednesday, April 27, a team they beat 15-5 earlier this month. That same day, the Clark Chargers will be playing Boulder City. Clark took the first game between these two teams by a score of 7-6.

If Clark can pull out another win, along with a Trojan win against Valley, it will set up a very valuable matchup on Friday between Clark and Pahrump Valley.

Hang on to your seat, folks. This feels like it’s going to be a nail-biting finish to the end of the season, and it could come down to who owns the tiebreaker for the top spot in the Desert league going into the playoffs.