Fallon shortstop Sage Orozco flips the ball to second base during a game last week against Truckee. The Wave host Spring Creek today and Saturday in a three-game series.
The Fallon baseball team will have its hands full this weekend.
The Greenwave host Spring Creek for a Northern Division I-A three-game set with first pitch set for 3 p.m. today. The teams conclude the weekend with a doubleheader slated for 11 a.m. Saturday.
Fallon, meanwhile, got back to its winning ways last weekend with a 2-1 series win over Truckee. The Greenwave (2-2 league, 4-3-1 overall) were lifted by strong pitching performances from Tristen Salazar, Cody Long and Riley Williams.
At the plate, Tyler Bagby and Branden Beeghly ignited the offense, which scored 19 runs in the final two games against Truckee.
Today, though, brings in a much stronger opponent in the Spartans. Although Spring Creek is coming off a 5-4 loss to Elko on Tuesday, the Spartans sport a 3-1 record in league play and are 6-3 overall.
While Spring Creek has the ability to put the ball in play, Fallon counters with a strong contingent of pitching.
Salazar ranks second on the team with a 2.63 ERA in four appearances and leads the team with 18 2/3 innings pitched.
Salazar has struck out 11 hitters, allowed seven walks and earned runs. He tossed a complete-game four-hitter in Fallon’s 8-3 win over Truckee on Saturday.
Williams is 1-0 in two appearances and leads the team with a miniscule 0.70 ERA in 10 innings. Long, meanwhile, is 0-1, but threw a gem in Friday’s loss to Truckee.
Freshman Alex Mendez has been solid in his first three appearances, compiling a 1-0 record with eight strikeouts and a 3.36 ERA in 8 1/3 innings.
Leading the offensive charge, meanwhile, are Beeghly, Bagby, Long and Salazar.
Beeghly’s been on a tear all season as the sophomore designated hitter is batting .500 in 20 at-bats with three runs scored and a trio of RBIs.
Bagby is Fallon’s slugger and is having a monster season to date. The junior catcher is hitting .435 with two home runs, a pair of triples and double. He has a team-high eight RBIs and has thrown out six runners in nine attempts.
Long, a lefty, is hitting .381 and is second on the club with six RBIs. Salazar rounds out the quartet as he is hitting .318 with a double, triple and four RBIs.
For Spring Creek, Zack Zeiler leads the way with a .474 average, five RBIs and two doubles. He is also 2-0 on the mound with two complete games and a 0.58 ERA.
Lane Newman is hitting .350 with seven RBIs and two doubles, while Mike Smith is batting .292 with a pair of doubles and three triples. He is also 1-0 with a 2.05 ERA. Adrian Avina is 2-0 with one complete game in two appearances.