WINNEMUCCA — If the Lowry High School baseball team had hopes of improving its chance at securing the final playoff berth in the Northern 3A, it would have to take a couple games from Fallon this past weekend in Winnemucca.
The Greenwave had other ideas and all but ended the postseason hopes of the Buckaroos with a three-game sweep. Fallon won the opener on Friday 12-1 and claimed the doubleheader on Saturday 10-6 and 11-10.
Fallon played Fernley on Tuesday and hosts first-place Dayton this weekend for a three-game series.
“It’s always good to go and sweep a team. I’m proud of the kids,” Fallon coach Lester de Braga said. “They came through. It gives us momentum against Dayton. We’re more prepared.”
Fallon gets past Lowry
Alex Mendez held Lowry to just one run and three hits Friday afternoon, but the Buckaroos took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Ridge Ricketts led off with a single and was moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brendan Domire. Jayson Smith followed with a single to knock in Ricketts.
That was all the offense for Lowry, as Mendez did not allow a hit the rest of the way. The Buckaroos had three runners reach base in the final six innings.
Fallon tied the game in the second inning after doubles by Hayden Strasdin and Chase Irvin. After a walk to Jake Wickizer, Brock Richardson provided the winning run with a single. Richardson eventually scored on a stolen base to make the score 3-1.
The Greenwave tacked on three runs in the fourth inning off a double by Richardson that plated Brock Uptain, who led off the frame after being hit by a pitch. Wickizer added a ground out that scored a run and Mendez had an RBI-single to give Fallon a 6-1 advantage.
Mendez continued to help himself with an RBI-double in the sixth inning that scored Sean McCormick. Mendez added a three-run triple in the seventh inning, as part of a five-run rally for the Greenwave.
Jake Marriott got the start for Lowry and took the loss in 5.2 innings of work. He gave up seven runs (three earned) on eight hits. He struck out five and walked three.
Mendez had 10 strikeouts and walked three to earn the win, while leading Fallon with three hits and five RBI. Irvin and Richardson each had two hits for Fallon.
Fallon pulls away late in Saturday opener
In the first game on Saturday, Fallon had three separate leads, only to see Lowry tie the contest on each occasion.
The Greenwave scored twice in the first inning, starting with a triple by Mendez that plated McCormick, who led off by reaching on an error. Mendez scored the second run on a single by Edgar Alvarado.
Lowry quickly answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning on a two-RBI double by Travis Hardy that scored Ricketts and Domire.
After a scoreless second inning, Fallon tacked on three runs in the top of the third inning on a two-RBI single by TJ Fagg. Colton Coverstone added the final run by scoring on an error.
Just as it was in the first inning, Lowry came back and tied the game with three runs. Ricketts led off with a single and Domire reached on a bunt. After a ground out, Smith drove home a pair of runs with a double. Smith was thrown out at third, attempting to stretch the hit into a triple. Michael Rangel and Tazmin Milton were hit by pitches in consecutive at bats, and Riley Sakurada tied the game at 5-5 with a single.
The Greenwave went ahead in the fifth inning without the aid of a hit, but that was erased once again in the bottom of the fifth, when Milton drove home Hardy.
Fallon took the lead for good in the sixth inning on a three-run triple by Uptain that plated Mendez, Alvarado and Jack Swisher. The Greenwave added an insurance run in the seventh.
Kyle Young started and suffered the loss for Lowry in five innings of work. He allowed nine runs (four earned) on nine hits. He walked three and struck out two. Milton threw the final two innings and gave up one run on one hit. The freshman had three strikeouts.
Strasdin went the distance and earned the win for Fallon. He allowed six runs (five earned) on 13 hits. He struck out eight and walked none.
Ricketts and Hardy had three hits apiece for Lowry and Smith and Sakurada had two each. McCormick, Mendez, Swisher and Fagg had two hits each for Fallon.
Greenwave rallies in finale
In the series finale, Fallon grabbed a 4-0 lead in the third inning, but had to score three runs in the seventh to secure the series sweep.
The Greenwave broke a scoreless tie in the third inning after back-to-back doubles by Mendez and Alvarado and a triple by Swisher. Swisher scored on a single by Fagg. The Greenwave scored all four runs with two outs.
Lowry tied the game in the bottom of the third inning with four runs, beginning with singles by Domire and Young. After a walk to Smith, a throwing error allowed two runs to score. Smith added a third run on another Fallon error and Sakurada tied the game with an RBI-single.
The Greenwave used four consecutive hits from Irvin, Mendez, Alvarado and Swisher to go in front 6-4 in the fourth inning. Lowry answered with a rally of its own and took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with four runs. Ricketts and Domire each had singles and Young was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Smith then walked, which scored Ricketts. Marriott followed with a single that scored Domire and Young also scored after an error. Darrin Nelson gave Lowry an 8-6 lead with a double that drove home Marriott.
Fallon tied the game in the fifth after a bases loaded walk and a hit by pitch with the bases loaded.
The Buckaroos jumped back in front in the bottom of the sixth inning, after Smith reached base on an error with one out. After a ground out and a passed ball, Smith advanced to third base. Moments later, Milton put Lowry ahead 7-6 with a single. Milton eventually scored after two passed balls to make the score 8-6.
Fallon rallied in the seventh inning with the aid of three Lowry errors and the Greenwave scored three times to go ahead 11-10.
With the aid of three walks, Lowry loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Greenwave used a strikeout to get the final out of the game.
Sakurada paced Lowry with three hits and Domire and Milton each had two hits. Swisher had three hits for Fallon and Irvin, Mendez, Alvarado and Wickizer had two hits apiece.
Anthony Good started for Lowry and received a no decision in 4.2 innings of action. He allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits. He struck out one and walked one. Milton threw the final 2.1 innings and took the loss. All three runs allowed were unearned due to errors.
McCormick picked up the win, as he threw the final 1.1 innings. Alex Vest started and collected a no decision.
Fallon moved into fourth place in the Northern 3A at 10-6. Lowry dropped to 3-15.