Sights set on league title

A sweep kept their title hopes alive.

The Fallon baseball team brushed aside Sparks last weekend in a Northern Division I-A series as the Greenwave allowed just two runs in three games. Fallon won the opener 9-1 and followed with an 11-1 win in six innings and a 4-0 victory to close out the set.

The sweep, though, clinched a playoff berth and kept Fallon (15-6) tied with Elko (15-6) atop the standings as South Tahoe dropped two of three to Spring Creek and fell into a tie for third with the Spartans.

Fallon can win the league title with a sweep this weekend over South Tahoe and one loss by Elko to Dayton.

“We knew going in … that fate is in our hands,” Fallon coach Lester de Braga said. “I told them not to overlook Sparks. The kids were very focused and knew what we had to do.”

In Saturday’s opener, Dalton Frank led off the game with a drive off the top of the right field wall for a double. Marshall Coverston reached on a force out and moved to second when Joe Pyle reached safely off an error.

Tyler Bagby, who has been crushing opposing pitching all season, blasted a two-run double to score Coverston and Pyle.

Cody Long added an RBI single and Trae Workman slapped a two-run single to give Fallon a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

Pyle picked up the win as he struck out five and allowed two hits and one run in 3 2/3 innings. Alex Mendez came on in relief and fanned three and allowed two hits in 2 1/3 innings.

“Pitching wise … it was probably the best we had all season,” de Braga said. “Offensively, we are right where we want to be.”

In the second game, Fallon broke through in the third inning when Kyle Larson scored on a single by Frank.

In the fifth inning, Larsen scored when Pyle walked with the bases loaded and Frank reached home on an error off the bat of Bagby. Bagby tallied an RBI with a sacrifice fly to score Larsen in the seventh inning and seal the win.

Riley Williams threw a six-inning gem as he struck out four and allowed no runs or walks. Tristen Salazar closed the game with three straight strikeouts.

“We lost a little focus, but they responded,” de Braga said. “I don’t think we have peaked yet.”

In Friday’s game, Beeghly and Dalton Frank led the Wave each with two hits. Frank also doubled, while Joe Pyle added a two-run triple.

Fallon jumped out to a 9-1 lead after two innings and Sparks was held to two hits by the combined efforts of pitchers Tristen Salazar and Cade Monardo.

Salazar started and went three innings without allowing a hit. He struck out five.

Monardo, meanwhile, picked up the win and went four innings allowing two hits, one run but managed five strikeouts.