By LOU MARTIN
The Progress
The Virgin Valley High School baseball team didn’t just beat the strong winds on their home field on Thursday, April 21. They also fought back to defeat rival Moapa Valley High School in a 6-4 final score. It was one of the most miserable games to watch due to the gusting winds.
Both teams started with two of their top pitchers. Pirate Tyson Staheli faced off against Bulldog Bryson Intagliata.
The Pirates were shut down in the top of the first by Intagliata. The Bulldogs took advantage of the wind while Staheli had problems controlling his fast ball. He hit two Bulldogs on consecutive at bats scoring the first run of the game on a R.B.I single from freshman Mason Montoya.
The Bulldogs held a 1-0 lead going into the top of the third inning. But then the visiting Pirates erupted for four runs on three singles, a walk and an error.
The Bulldogs were fortunate to get out of the inning as they performed a slick double play to end the inning with the bases loaded.
Pirates Staheli, Austin Heiselbetz and Landon Wrzesinski had singles in the inning.
The Bulldogs responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third to cut the Pirates lead to 4-3. Intagliata got the ball rolling for the Dawgs reaching first on a Pirate error. This was followed by a single by Kurt Felix. Kyler Sudweeks smashed a ball to left field to score Intagliata. Jared Jensen brought in two more runs on a wind-driven single.
The Bulldogs threatened to score in the fourth but Staheli struck out a Dawg to prevent a score.
The Pirates changed pitchers in the bottom of the fifth inning which led to two runs by the Bulldogs giving them a 5-4 advantage after five innings. Sudweeks singled, stole second, moved to third on a fielder choice and scored on a single by Jared Jensen tying the game. Jensen came around on a balk and wild pitch.
The Bulldogs would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a single by Stratton Waite and RBI by Sudweeks giving the Dawgs a 6-4 lead going into the last inning.
Bulldog Felix came in relief in the top of the seventh inning shutting down the Pirates for the win.
The win gave the Dawgs a 7-3 league record while the Pirates fell to 7-1.
The Pirates have a tough schedule this coming week with a home game on Wednesday at 3:30 pm against Sunrise Mountain and an away game at Western on Friday.
The Bulldogs will host Eldorado on Wednesday and Cheyenne on Friday with both games beginning at 3:30 pm. They will also play Lincoln County on Saturday beginning at noon.
The final big game of the regular will be fought at Moapa on May 5 when the Bulldogs travel to Moapa to end the regular season.
