Trojans squeak by Cheyenne

Three RBIs by Carlos Rivera was the difference in the game.

Rivera went 4-4 during the game. The Trojans baseball team (12-4 overall, 4-1 Sunset League) went to Cheyenne (4-6, 1-4) on Friday and beat them 10-8 in a close game.

Pahrump scored two in the first, three in the second and one in the third and fourth. Cheyenne then tied the ball game up in the fifth, but the Trojans held on and scored three more in the sixth to win.

Kyle Kral started the game and had four solid innings until the fifth where he gave up seven runs, which tied the game. Kral had seven strikeouts.

Trojans Coach Brian Hayes said his team was in complete control of the game until the fifth inning.

“Kyle suddenly lost his control and piped a few pitches when he was ahead in the count,” he said. “He is usually one of our most consistent pitchers so we gave him a chance to work out of it considering his pitch count was low.”

Eduardo Nunez and Josh Mortensen came in to relieve.

In addition to that, the coach said his team wasn’t focused from the minute they stepped off the bus.

“The lack of focus almost cost us a win,” Hayes said.

It took the hustle of Anthony Vega to save the game. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Vega made a diving catch to end the game and preserve the win.

Hayes said he will use the Chaparral tournament to find some offense at the bottom of the batting order.