Dayton’s Carter Shuck awaits a pitch from Fallon’s Damien Towne in Wednesday’s Northern 3A East championship. (Photo: Thomas Ranson/Nevada News Group)
FERNLEY – After spotting Fallon a three-run lead in Winnemucca before the game was suspended due to rain, the Dayton baseball team couldn’t get the offense going in the continuation of the Northern 3A East championship.
Fallon junior Damien Towne continued his mastery from Saturday and allowed two runs over the remaining five innings on a sunny and warm Wednesday afternoon as the Greenwave defeated the Dust Devils, 5-2, to win the league championship at Fernley High School. With Dayton ace Tyler Stolfich on the hill on Wednesday, Fallon, the No. 4 seed, didn’t waver and redeemed itself after being no-hit earlier in the season against the top team from the division.
Towne outdueled Stolfich and Sean Kinney by striking out seven in allowing two earned runs on four hits in the complete-game performance. Stolfich struck out five in five innings and allowed three hits and an earned run, while Kinney had a rocky start with three runs (two earned) allowed on three hits and three walks against three strikeouts.
After scoring a trio of runs off Kinney in Winnemucca, Fallon took advantage of errors against Stolfich.
Steven Moon, the ninth-slot hitter, reached second on third baseman’s Carter Shuck’s two-base throwing error that sailed past first. Matt Davis’ sacrifice fly to right advanced Moon to third. Cooper Lee’s safety squeeze bunt to Stolfich scored Moon to give Fallon a 4-0 lead. Lee was safe on the throw at first.
Stolfich retired two of the next three in the air when Avery Strasdin flew out to left and Bryce Adams popped out to shallow center.
Davis saved a potential run in the bottom half of the inning after Towne retired the first two on a strikeout and groundout. Broc Strong walked on four straight pitches before Shuck struck the third pitch in his at-bat to deep center. Davis’ sprint and sliding catch ended the inning.
The Greenwave added their fifth and final run in the fifth inning.
Fallon catcher Tyler Austin doubled to deep left to lead off the inning before stealing third. Brady Alves scored Austin on a fielder’s choice that went wrong at the plate. Second baseman Jacob Moore threw to Strong to try to retire Austin at the plate, but the throw was late, resulting in Alves being forced out at first.
Fallon continued to threaten when Moon singled and then advanced on an error to reach second. Stolfich hit Matt Davis but struck out swinging to end the top of the inning.
After allowing another walk in the bottom of the inning, Towne ran into trouble in the final two frames.
Robbie Harrison singled on a line drive to center but was forced on out Stolfich’s fielder’s choice on Alves’ throw to Cooper at second.
With two outs and Stolfich on first, Strong doubled to deep left to score Stolfich. Fallon’s relay, though, ended Dayton’s hopes of continuing the inning when Austin fired a bullet to Strasdin to retire Strong at third.
Shuck’s leadoff home run to left field got Dayton to within three in the final inning but Towne closed the door. Towne struck out Ethan Callan looking for the first out and Moore flew out to center. Koen Stott struck out swimming on a 2-2 count to end the game.
