The Pahrump Valley baseball team played possibly their worst offensive game of the season when they needed their best effort the most.
The Trojans (21-7) hosted the Boulder City Eagles on Wednesday afternoon in a game that meant a lot both on and off the field.
The team was hosting their senior ceremony to honor those students who will be graduating later this month.
They were also playing for the league title and the No. 1 Mountain league seed heading into the regional playoffs next week.
Both schools entered the day tied atop the league leaderboard with 8-1 records in league play.
The Eagles’ only league loss this season has been to the Trojans in mid-April and the Trojans’ only league loss this season was against the SLAM Nevada Bulls at the end of March.
This was also the last loss for Pahrump Valley. That is, before the Eagles came to town.
On senior night, it was a senior who got the start on the mound for the Trojans.
Kyle McDaniel got the ball in his last regular season home game at Pahrump Valley.
He got off to a good start, giving up just two runs on four hits through the first five innings.
However, it was in the sixth inning where the Trojans’ problems began.
McDaniel got two of the first three batters in the inning out. The next four batters would all reach base safely with three singles and a walk.
The Eagles would take a 4-0 lead before McDaniel was pulled with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning.
McDaniel ended his day pitching five and two-thirds innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and struck out eight Boulder City batters.
Pahrump Valley’s offense wasn’t able to muster up much of anything on Wednesday.
The team combined for just five hits in the game, with two of those hits coming in the seventh inning.
Senior James Metscher had the top day at the plate for the Trojans.
He finished his senior game going 2-for-4 with two singles and batted in the only Trojan run in the game.
McDaniel, Fidel Betancourt and Aidyn Cratty were the only other Pahrump Valley batters to get hits on Wednesday.
With their 6-1 loss to Boulder City, the Trojans dropped to the No. 2 Mountain league seed.
This isn’t all bad, though.
Pahrump Valley will host at least one game in the 3A Southern Regional tournament next week that begins on Monday afternoon.
The Trojans are scheduled to play against the No. 6 seed in the Southern region. Their opponent is unknown at this time, but it will be between the SLAM Nevada Bulls and the Clark Chargers.
Pahrump Valley is 2-0 against Clark, outscoring them 16-2 this season. They are 1-1 against SLAM, outscoring the Bulls 19-15.
Monday’s first-round game will begin at 4 p.m. The Trojans will have a second game on Tuesday, however the time and location is to be determined following the outcomes of the first-round games.
Contact sports writer/editor Danny Smyth at dsmyth@pvtimes.com. Follow @_dannysmyth on Twitter.