Desert Oasis Run-Rules Pahrump Valley 11-1 in Fifth Inning at Home

A packed home crowd at Pahrump Valley High School watched the Trojans' four-game home win streak come to an abrupt end March 14 as Desert Oasis posted an 11-run burst across the second through fourth innings and walked off with an 11-1 mercy-rule victory in the fifth.

The Class 5A Desert League Diamondbacks, ranked first in the 5A South and carrying a 10-2 record into the nonleague matchup, were never seriously threatened after the second inning. Pahrump Valley coach Drew Middleton got a clear look at where the holes in his Trojans fall.

Pahrump Valley actually struck first. Junior Tony Whitney reached on an error by Desert Oasis senior shortstop Lincoln Guillermo, stole second, and came around to score when junior Cody Fried singled to center field to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead after one inning. It was the kind of aggressive, disciplined sequence Middleton's club has shown flashes of this season.

Desert Oasis answered immediately. In the second inning, the Diamondbacks loaded the bases on a walk and two singles, tied the game on a fielder's choice, then blew it open as freshman Sebastian Mansell and Guillermo, atoning for his first-inning miscue, each delivered RBI singles to push the lead to 4-1. Desert Oasis broke it fully open in the third and kept adding in the fourth before the mercy rule ended things in five.

MJ Hernandez handled both sides of the equation for the Diamondbacks. The INF/RF righty held Pahrump Valley to four hits and one unearned run across five innings, striking out four and generating minimal traffic otherwise. At the plate, Hernandez went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, a new career high.

He was not alone. Aidan Smith went a perfect 2-for-2 with a triple and scored three runs, also a career high. Mansell finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and a double. Landon O'Dell collected his first RBI of the season. As a team, Desert Oasis posted an on-base percentage of .567 for the game; Pahrump Valley managed just .222.

Fried added a second hit in the fourth inning to give himself two of Pahrump Valley's total hits on the afternoon, providing one of the few consistent bright spots for the Trojans in an otherwise difficult day against a dominant Desert Oasis pitching performance.

The loss dropped Pahrump Valley to 4-3 on the season. Desert Oasis, which has now won six of its last seven games and beaten four opponents by more than seven runs this year, improved to 10-2.

Both teams return to action Monday. Desert Oasis faces Valor Christian at 10:45 a.m., while Pahrump Valley opens against Durango at 11:00 a.m.