Wave braves wind to win Fernley series

With the high winds sweeping across the diamond, the Greenwave baseball team took advantage of Mother Nature to notch another series victory.

Fallon continued its dominance over Fernley on Tuesday in defeating the hosts, 14-8, to win the season series and take control of third in the Northern Division I-A.

“We came out hitting the ball out of the game,” Fallon coach Lester de Braga said. “The wind conditions were just hectic. We took advantage of the balls that were put in our favor and we got the job done.”

Fallon improved to 10-5 in league play and travels to Dayton (5-9) today for a three-game series. After winning a road series against South Tahoe last weekend, Fernley (9-6) hosts first-place Elko (13-4) today and Saturday.

“We told the boys that we can’t overlook them at all and have to play our game,” de Braga said about the Dayton series. “Our goal all season is to win the series. There’s only been one stumbling block with Elko. There are teams that you can’t take lightly.”

Fallon erupted for eight runs in the first two innings before Fernley came back with three in the second. Fallon added its ninth run of the game in the following inning but Fernley answered with three more in the fourth to cut the deficit to 9-6. Fallon, though, added one run in the fifth inning and four in the sixth while Fernley closed out the game with two in the final frame.

Riley Williams pitched out of relief to earn the win, shutting down Fernley for two innings before giving up a pair of runs. In 2 1/3 innings of work, Williams allowed two earned runs, two walks and six hits.

Williams recorded two strikeouts after starter Joe Pyle’s command was off because of the wind as he gave up five runs, four walks and four hits, including a home run, in three innings of work.

“The wind was a factor on the pitching for both sides,” de Braga said. “A lot of pitches that were thrown inside, the win carried the ball across the plate.”

Chase McElvain pitched the fourth inning when he gave up one run on one hit before Williams entered in the seventh to record the final two outs.

The Greenwave pounded out 14 hits against four Fernley pitchers, with Shane Kelso absorbing most of the damage as he allowed eight runs (six earned) in 1 2/3 innings.

Brandon Beeghly was nearly perfect at the dish, going 4 for 5 with three RBIs, while Dalton Frank had a three-hit performance and drove in two runs. Frank was a home run away from the cycle.

Tyler Bagby and Pile each singled twice, Cody Long and Trae Workman each recorded two hits and one RBI, and Tristen Salazar scored and drove in one run. Workman also stole two bases while Austin Bischoff, Tyler Bagby and Kyle Larsen each swiped a bag.