LadyBulldogMinersGame-05-03-16: Bulldog Taylor Barnum steps back from a low pitch in a recent game. Barnum had two hits in the important 3-2 win over Sunrise Mountain on Tuesday afternoon, May 3 in the Dawgs Pound. Photo by Lou Martin.

LadyBulldogMinersGame-05-03-16: Bulldog Taylor Barnum steps back from a low pitch in a recent game. Barnum had two hits in the important 3-2 win over Sunrise Mountain on Tuesday afternoon, May 3 in the Dawgs Pound. Photo by Lou Martin.

The Virgin Valley High School softball team fell behind as usual in the first inning, trailing the Miners from Sunrise Mountain 2-0 after one inning of play before rallying behind the pitching of Savannah Price for a 3-2 Bulldog win in the Dawg Pound Tuesday, May 3.

Price gave up four walks and a double in the first but struck out a Miner batter with the bases loaded to curtail a huge Miner inning. The Bulldogs got one run back in the bottom of the second as Price helped her own cause with a leadoff double and scored the Dawgs first run on an error made by the Miners shortstop on an Adri Wakefield ground ball.

The Bulldogs tied the game in the third inning on a single by Taylor Barnum followed by a Janella Fiso infield hit, with Barnum moving to second. Price loaded the bases on an infield error on a ground ball to short. Barnum tagged up from third on a Tylee Robison fly ball to right field.

The teams battled evenly until the bottom of the seventh inning. Shalee Hafen reached first on an error and advanced to second on the same play. Hafen took third on a wild pitch and scored on a Kezney Crompton grounder to shortstop who committed her third error of the game.

Price struck out 10 Miners on her way to a complete game win. Barnum led all batters with two hits. The 3-2 win kept the Bulldogs hopes alive for a fourth place finish and possible playoff game. The win gives the Dawgs a 7-6 record tied with TECH for fourth place in 1-A Sunrise League standings, one behind Sunrise Mountain with one game remaining.

Moapa Valley beat TECH Tuesday, setting up a big game for the Lady Bulldogs at Del Sol High School on Thursday, May 5. “The girls played well and executed when they had to both offensively and defensively,” said Bulldog coach Travis Griffith. “If I understand it correctly, if both TECH and we win Thursday, we will have a game with TECH to get to the playoffs.”