Power surges Lady Wave softball past Spartans

The Fallon softball team has served notice to the Northern Division I-A.

The Lady Wave again ran roughshod over another foe en route to a three-game sweep on Saturday.

Unlike their previous sweep over Truckee, the Lady Wave used their muscle to batter Spring Creek, 12-2 (Friday), and 10-0 and 18-4 on Saturday.

“It was a good weekend and I think our kids came out focused,” Fallon coach Bill Archer said. “We don’t take anything lightly. The kids put the runs up on the board.”

Rileigh Ricken and Paige Thorn powered the Lady Wave on Saturday as the duo combined for five home runs.

Ricken, though, was a one-woman wrecking crew as she went 9-for-10 with four homers and 13 RBIs in the three games. She also earned the win on Friday as she held the Spartans to four hits in five innings with six strikeouts.

Ricken’s three homers came before a hard wind started to blow as she demolished Spring Creek’s pitching on Saturday. She went 3-for-3 with five RBIs to lead the ferocious attack.

“I was trying to stay relaxed and swing for the fences and stay in a groove,” Ricken said. “We came out with a lot of energy and knew Spring Creek would come out ready to play.”

Kayla Buckmaster, Megan McCormick and Hannah Frank each had two hits. Buckmaster recorded the win with seven strikeouts and allowed two hits in five innings.

Thorn, meanwhile, joined the party in the finale with a blast to left field. She added a double and four RBIs in the rout.

“We were really able to hit the ball,” Thorn added. “I think we all work good as a team.”

Ricken chipped in with four RBIs, while McCormick added three hits including a double.

Frank, Buckmaster and Nicole Mariezcurrena each notched a pair of hits. Miranda Ford picked up the win, allowing four runs — one unearned — in three innings.

“I felt good about it,” Buckmaster said of her pitching. “I had a couple batters where I was a little bad, but you got to come back. We focus really well together.”

On Friday, Ricken went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, while Izzy Thomas had three hits and scored two runs. Frank, Kalyn Huckaby, Ali Tedford and Courtney Cross each scored two runs.

For the series, Ricken, Thorn and McComick went a combined 21-for-31 (.677) and 20 RBIs.

Ricken’s success, though, is not limited to this weekend, although she did hit her first home runs of the season.

She is hitting an eye-popping .613 with 19 RBIs, three doubles and a trio of triples. In the circle, Ricken has compiled a 3-1 record in eight appearances with a team-low 1.92 ERA and 21 strikeouts to only four walks in 32 2/3 innings.

Thorn and McCormick, meanwhile, are second and third, respectively, with 13 and 11 RBIs and each is hitting .400 or better.

“The starting lineup is seeing the ball well and hitting any type of pitching,” Archer said. “We are able to take kids off the bench and they are performing with the bats.”

The Lady Wave improves to 7-0 in league and 8-4 overall. Spring Creek falls to 3-4, 4-8.

Fallon returns to the diamond at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at rival Fernley. The Lady Wave visit Elko for a three-game series on April 11-12.