Clark warms up, beats Pahrump Valley to solidify playoff position

The first trip through the batting order didn’t go very well for Clark’s baseball team Wednesday.

But one look at Pahrump Valley left-hander Garret Lucas was all that the host Chargers needed.

Matthew Thompson went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Clark dug itself out of an early hole to claim a 7-3 victory over the Trojans.

“We faced him the first time also, and it kind of went that way the first time where, as it got later in the game, our guys had gotten used to his different pitches,” Chargers coach Brian Gregorich said. “He’s got a really good curveball, and the first time we see it, it’s tough. Later on in the game, they can recognize it out of his hand a little bit better, and we had some real nice at-bats.”

Stefan McLin was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Matthias Blodgett drove in two runs as Clark moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Division I-A Sunset League.

The Chargers (11-11, 5-4 Sunset) also swept the season series from Pahrump Valley, effectively giving them a two-game lead for the final playoff spot with five league games remaining.

“Undoubtedly, this was a huge game today, and that just makes our next two games that much more important,” Gregorich said. “We took a good step forward today, and we’ve just got to keep moving forward and keep the momentum. We can’t backtrack at all right now.”

After managing only two hits against Lucas the first time through the lineup, Clark scored three runs in the bottom of the third. McLin laid down a safety squeeze, and Thompson and Blodgett followed with sacrifice flies to tie the score at 3.

In the fifth, Thompson lined a two-run single to left and then scored on Blodgett’s run-scoring single. Courtesy runner Ernesto Herrera later scored on a wild pitch to put Clark up 7-3.

Blodgett and reliever Mason Sotelo held Pahrump Valley (10-12, 4-5) hitless over the final five innings.

Blodgett also got plenty of help from his defense, as first baseman Jason Erlan made a diving stop and, while sitting down, threw to Blodgett covering the bag to end the second. Sotelo also made a sliding catch in center field with two runners on for the final out in the top of the fifth.

“We did a good job of locating and mixing the pitches today,” Gregorich said. “Those last five innings, Blodgett did a great job and then Sotelo, six up and six down in relief, that was phenomenal. He just came out and went right after those guys and didn’t even give them a sniff.”

Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ