DAYTON - A couple of baserunning mistakes. Some mental and physical gaffes on defense. And no offense.
On the whole, it wasn't a good day for the Dayton High softball team, which dropped a 8-0 decision to Fernley in a Northern 3A game Wednesday afternoon.
"It was pretty ugly," Dayton coach Daven Passalacqua said. "We go over the same things in practice everyday - running, throwing and catching. I don't know if it's a lack of desire or what. I can't tell at this point.
"Makayla (Shadle) didn't throw as well as she has been (12 hits, 13 strikeouts), but they didn't hit the ball that hard. We just didn't make some plays. Makayla wasn't hitting her spots. She's not at full strength (leg injury)."
The first inning set the tone for the game.
Cheyenne Brewer walked and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jordan King followed with a groundball to second. Gemma Ramirez didn't charge the ball, and she paid the price. Ramirez made the play at first, but Brewer stormed home and scored easily.
Dayton threatened in the first when Gemma Ramirez singled to right and went around to third on a two-base error. Kelly Combs bunted and was thrown out at first, and Ramirez also was thrown out trying to score on the play.
Dayton still managed to load the bases on a walk to Andrea Ramirez, a double by Cheyenna Burrows and a walk to Kalee Alexander. Fernley freshman Kailey Daggitt struck out Devlynn Lahair to end the inning.
Those would be the only two hits that Dayton would muster off the left-handed Daggitt, who retired 18 of the last 21 batters she faced. Dayton only had four baserunners in the last six innings.
"She threw a pretty good game," Fernley coach Diane Chapin said. "She was struggling with the wind a little bit. We tried to keep them off balance at the plate."
Brewer led off the third with a single and actually scored on a single by Bailey Henderson. Dayton centerfielder Kiana Gonsalves missed the cut-off person and the ball rolled freely in the infield, and Brewer took advantage.
Singles by King and Serena Olson accounted for two more runs and a 4-0 lead.
Shadle was touched for two unearned runs in the fifth when King reached on a wild throw by Combs. Kelsey Walsh was hit by a pitch and Olson followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Brooke Mattice blooped a single to right to drive in King, and Walsh scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-0.
Fernley added two more in the seventh to complete the scoring.
VIRGINIA CITY 13, HAWTHORNE 3
The Lady Muckers scored six in the first and six in the fifth to win their first league game and improved to 3-12 overall with a 1A softball win.
Corinna Obermayr led the Muckers, going 4-for-4 with a solo homr and three singles. Sakura Brandon went 3-for-4, while Kelsey Barnes went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI, while Megan Wheeler and Breanna Johnston each had two hits.
BASEBALL: Dayton splits
FERNLEY - The Dust Devils split the 3A doubleheader to fall to 7-4 in Northern 3A play.
Dayton won the opener 8-1 and lost the nightcap 10-9.
Michael Dieneman scattered six hits and struck out two to beat the Vaqueros in teh opener.
Dayton snapped a scoreless tie with three runs in the third. Sam Hadley tripled, Payton Morena doubled and Nick Selmi hit a sacrifice fly. Morena went 2-for-4, drove in two runs and stole three bases.
In the nightcap, Dayton led 9-6 entering the bottom of the sixth but gave up four runs to fall behind for good. Fernley scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to two errors.
The Dust Devils got the tying run to econd in the seventh, but Jack Phillips flied to right to end the game.
Cole Hummel had two hits and three RBI, while Hadley went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. Morena went 2-for-5.