RICHARD STEPHENS / PVT Beatty's fast-pitch softball and baseball teams played in tournaments at Mesquite last weekend. The girls won 20-7 against Wells, but lost four other starts. Autumn Spicer of the Hornets slides safely into home during a game played last week. RICHARD STEPHENS / PVT Kyle Marchand pitches for the Hornets, who were 0-5 in the Mesquite tournament and fell to 2-7 on the season. Advertisement

Brian Hayes wanted the Beatty High School baseball team he coaches to be exposed to some difficult opposition, when he entered the Hornets in the Virgin Valley Invitational last weekend.

While the Hornets got more difficult competition than they bargained for, Hayes believes they will be better for the experience.

"Obviously, it was a tough weekend," said Hayes, after recounting the scores: Southern Nevada Class 3-A Mesquite Virgin Valley 12, Beatty 0; Utah power Abundant Life Academy 6, Beatty 2; Page, Ariz., 13, Beatty 0; Juah, Utah 15, Beatty 1, and Juah 19, Beatty 3.

"We struggled in every phase of the game," said Hayes, who knew the Hornets, out of the Nevada Class A Central Division, would play all bigger classification teams. "Our pitchers walked 21 hitters; 14 came around to score.

"Defensively, we couldn't catch or throw the baseball ... we made 27 errors in five games, which led to 19 unearned runs," said Hayes. "Offensively, we faced some good pitching; we had only eight hits all weekend and we struck out 33 times -- 15 times looking."

Hayes, however, was in a positive mood.

"We got a look at some of our younger players and we faced some teams that are almost as good as (defending Nevada 1-A champion Las Vegas) Calvary Chapel," said Hayes.

"If we were to make the playoffs," said Hayes, "I'm hoping the kids learned the importance of catching and throwing the baseball."

Beatty, 2-7, goes to Round Mountain Thursday to open the Central Division season with a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m.

The Hornets are at Virgin Valley for a twin bill Tuesday, and at Trona, Calif., for a single game March 31 before returning to Beatty April 4 to play Tonopah in a Central doubleheader.

The Hornets' remaining games:

April 8, home vs. Sandy Valley;

April 11, home vs. Pahranagat Valley Alamo (2);

April 12, home vs. Big Pine, Calif.;

April 18, home vs. Spring Mountain (2);

April 22, home vs. Trona;

April 25, at Indian Springs (2).

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The Beatty fast-pitch softball team lost 22-12 to Virgin Valley; lost 23-12 to Laughlin; defeated Wells 20-7; lost 5-2 to Beaver Dam, Utah, and lost 17-2 to Virgin Valley in the tournament at Mesquite last weekend.