COWBOY CLASSIC: Walker escapes from jams, leads Pahrump Valley to title
Drew Walker found himself in hot water several times Wednesday.
Fortunately for Pahrump Valley’s baseball team, the sophomore pitcher kept finding his way out, too.
Walker tossed a five-hitter and worked around six walks to help the Trojans to a 6-5 win over Canyon Springs in the championship game of the Cowboy Classic at Chaparral.
Pahrump scored three runs in the third and three more in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead, but the Pioneers rallied with three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the margin to 6-4.
Canyon Springs struck again in the seventh, pulling within 6-5 and having the potential tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with one out, but Walker got a pair of popouts to end the game.
Tyler Greene was 2-for-4 with a double for Pahrump, which also got a steal of home from Josh Mortensen in the fourth inning.
Pahrump Valley 12, Del Sol 2 — At Chaparral, Walker went 2-for-5 with a double and five RBIs, and the Trojans used a six-run second inning to top the Dragons in a semifinal.
Carlos Rivera was 2-for-3, and Dylan Ault went 2-for-4 for Pahrump.
Zach Trujillo was 3-for-3 with a double for Del Sol.
Canyon Springs 10, Chaparral 3 — At Chaparral, Carlos Alcala’s one-out RBI single sparked a seven-run eighth inning that lifted the Pioneers by the Cowboys in a semifinal.
Jordan Gainey doubled to lead off the eighth, and pinch-runner Edgar Barbarin scored on Alcala’s hit.
Gustavo Hernandez added a two-run double, and Zack Garnder blasted a three-run home run in the inning for Canyon Springs.
Gardner went 2-for-5 with a double, and Gainey was 2-for-4 with two doubles. Sebastian Sotello went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Pioneers.
Miguel Smith tossed a five-hitter on just 89 pitches for Canyon Springs.
Mojave 10, Tech 2 — At Mojave, Otto Hernandez went 3-for-3 with three doubles, three runs and two RBIs to help the Rattlers top the Roadrunners.
Scotty Wilson was 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, and Chase Anderson went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs for Mojave. Liam Harris tossed a five-hitter and struck out five for the Rattlers.
Sebastian Fitzgerald went 2-for-2 with a run for Tech.
Valley 6, Desert Pines 4 — At Mojave, Jacob Cruz went 2-for-3 and combined with winning pitcher Isaiah Cardenas on an eight-hitter to lead the Vikings by the Jaguars.
Andres Corbett was 2-for-4 for Desert Pines.
Cheyenne 11, Virgin Valley 0 — At Canyon Springs, Jordan Rand was 2-for-3 with two doubles and five RBIs to help the Desert Shields down the Bulldogs in five innings.
Korey Poole was 2-for-4 with two doubles, and Daniel Juarez went 3-for-3 with a double for Cheyenne. George Carmona was 2-for-3 with a double for the Desert Shields.
Winning pitcher Angelo Hallenback tossed a two-hitter and struck out eight.
Eldorado 12, Sunrise Mountain 2 — At Canyon Springs, Trevor Swain went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI as the Sundevils topped the Miners in five innings.
Winning pitcher Cris Andrade tossed a three-hitter and went 2-for-3, and teammate David Decker was 2-for-2 for Eldorado.