Kayla Buckmaster fires a pitch to home plate during the Lady Wave's series in Lowry.
WINNEMUCCA — It was built as the softball series of the year in the Northern 3A and Lowry High School and Fallon did not disappoint the crowd in their three-game set this past weekend in Winnemucca.
The Lady Bucks entered 15-0 in league play and the Lady Wave were 14-0, with both squads dominating their league opponents thus far. Fallon swept Lowry, winning 4-2 on Friday and claiming the doubleheader on Saturday 7-5 in eight innings and 16-11 in the matinee. All three games were competitive from the start. Fallon also ended Lowry’s 2016 at the regional tournament in Spring Creek.
“We just had great moments and we took advantage of every opportunity they gave us,” said Fallon coach Tammie Shemenski.
Fallon rallies past Lowry
Home runs were plentiful throughout the weekend, and Friday’s opener was no different. After a scoreless first inning, Fallon’s Stacy Kalt hit a two-run home run in the top of the second inning that scored Kayla Buckmaster and gave the Lady Wave a 2-0 advantage. That was answered in the bottom of the second inning as Lowry third baseman Madi McClellan hit a two-run homer to tie the contest. Alanna Miller doubled just before the sophomore hit the ball out of the park.
Pitching took over for the next three innings, then Fallon grabbed the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning. Kalt led off with a double and Shelbi Schultz singled her home. Buckmaster added an RBI-sac fly in the seventh and the Wave held on for the win. Lowry’s Alyssa Kuskie led off the bottom of the seventh inning but a double play ended the rally.
Lowry was held to three hits — one each by Sydney Connors, Miller and McClellan. Alexis Jarrett, Kalt and Schultz each had two hits for Fallon.
Lowry sophomore Macey Katzenmeyer suffered the loss in 5.1 innings of work. She allowed three runs on eight hits, to go with three walks and two strikeouts.
Fallon’s Faith Cornmesser went the distance in the circle to earn the win. She gave up two runs, three hits and struck out eight.
Greenwave win in extra innings
The opening game on Saturday was a nailbiter from the start, with Lowry jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a RBI-single by McClellan that scored Miller. Miller doubled with one out in the frame. Fallon tied the game in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run by Jarrett.
The Lady Bucks reclaimed the advantage in the bottom of the fourth inning on a double by Miller and single by McClellan. Kaity Sample and Kuskie added singles to give Lowry a 4-1 lead. However, the rally ended with the bases loaded on a strikeout.
The lead was short-lived, as Fallon responded with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Macie Anderson closed the gap to 4-3 on the strength of a two-run home run. The Greenwave tied the game at 4-4 on an RBI-double by Jarrett that plated Caitlyn Welch.
Fallon used three consecutive singles to load the bases in the top of the seventh inning and took the lead on a fielder’s choice by Welch that scored Anderson.
That lead went away as well, as Connors doubled with one out in the bottom of the seventh and the sophomore tied the game after a single by Miller. The Lady Bucks had the winning run at second base, but could not get it across the plate.
Jordan Beyer gave Fallon the lead for good in the top of the eighth inning with a solo home run. The Greenwave added an insurance run off a double by Anderson. Lowry was retired in short order in the bottom of the eighth to end the game.
Miller led Lowry with three hits and Miller and Sample each had two. Anderson had three hits for Fallon and Welch, Jarrett and Kalt had two apiece.
Lowry’s Sylvie Prokasky threw seven innings, but was tagged with the loss. She allowed six runs on 10 hits. Buckmaster collected the win in the complete-game effort. She gave up five runs (two earned) on 10 hits. She had nine strikeouts.
Fallon wins wild finale
The finale turned into a wild affair as the teams combined for 27 runs, 25 hits and four home runs. The Lady Wave sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning and jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
The Lady Bucks responded with four runs in the bottom of the first, starting with a two-RBI double by Kyllie Sappington that scored Kuskie and Kelcey Cooper. One batter later, Connors put the Lady Bucks up 4-3 with a two-run home run.
Fallon tied the game in the top of the second on an RBI-single by Beyer that scored Welch. Lowry went back in front 6-4 in the bottom of the second inning after an RBI-single by Sappington scored Bailey Sapien.
That did not last long, as Fallon used the long ball to go up 8-6 in the third inning after a two-out, grand slam by Beyer.
Lowry returned the favor in the bottom of the third inning, when Sapien hit a three-home run — her first of the year to put the Lady Bucks back in front at 9-8.
Fallon fought back with four runs in the top of the fourth inning on the strength of singles by Schultz and Welch. Lowry used three Fallon errors and a single by Miller to cut the deficit to 12-11 in the bottom of the fourth.
However, the Lady Bucks went scoreless in the final three innings and the Greenwave added three runs in the sixth to pull away.
Sappington led Lowry with two hits and Beyer and Welch had four apiece for Fallon.
Tiana Herrera suffered the loss for Lowry and Cornmesser earned the win for Fallon.
“Overall it was a great weekend,” said Shemenski. “My pitchers were extremely strong ... I was pretty proud of all of them (the players).”
Fallon moved to 17-0 and first place in the Northern 3A. After sweeping South Tahoe, Fernley moved to 15-2 and second place. Lowry (15-3) dropped to third. The Wave plays Dayton this weekend for a three-game home series; Friday’s game starts at 3 p.m. and Saturday’s games play at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.