Greater Nevada went 1-4, with its lone win coming on Sunday against Elko. The Badgers dropped a pair of games on June 21, losing 12-7 to North Valleys and 4-1 to Galena. Greater Nevada met up with Carson on Friday, June 22, and lost 15-4 and Spanish Springs on Saturday, losing 12-2. The Badgers (5-13) came back on Sunday to beat Elko 6-5.
"When we don't have some of our older players with us, it seems like we are missing a leader out on the field," said coach Ron Espinola. "We need to have some guys step up for us. We are still having troubles on defense and not making the play when we need to."
In the opening game of the tournament versus North Valleys, Greater Nevada had two hits through the first three innings but could not score, leaving five runners stranded. North Valleys scored single runs in the second and third innings and added three more in the fourth, when the Badgers climbed on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Tanner Lecumberry began the rally with a one-out single and Zephan Zeiler kept the frame going with a two-out walk. Brandon Okuma made North Valleys pay for the walk, with a two-run single to bring the Badgers within three runs at 5-2.
North Valleys used a lead-off home run in the fifth inning to score four runs and up the advantage to 9-2. Greater Nevada rallied back in the bottom of the fifth with five runs to close the gap to two runs at 9-7. Lane Newman and Tyler Brumm doubled and walked, respectively, to begin the rally, scoring off a sacrifice fly by Levi Bliss and a walk to Troy Hardy. Okuma then walked to bring home Hardy. Donovan Brumm capped off the rally with a two-RBI double.
That was as close as the Badgers got, as North Valleys responded with three runs in the sixth inning and retiring Greater Nevada in order in the sixth. Blake Pruitt started for the Badgers and took the loss. He allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits, with one strikeout and six walks. Christian Dawson and Aaron Nelson threw the final two innings. Lecumberry had three hits to lead the team.
In its second game on June 21, Greater Nevada put runners on base but was not capable of capitalizing on its five hits against Galena. The Badgers left the bases loaded in the first and eighth for the game. Their only run of the game came in the fifth, as McCade Wing singled home Donovan Brumm.
The Black Sox took an early 1-0 advantage in the third inning and broke a 1-1 tie with a single run in the fifth. Galena added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the victory. Greater Nevada put its first two runners on base in the seventh but the next three batters were retired in order.
Zack Zeiler picked up the loss. He threw 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on just one hit, with six walks and two strikeouts. Okuma went the final 1.2 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits. Wing led the Badgers with two hits.
Greater Nevada put itself in a hole against Carson, allowing four walks in the bottom of the second inning, while the Blue Jays added five hits in the eight-run inning. The Badgers rallied to cut the deficit in half in the top of the third, scoring all four of its runs with two outs. Okuma kept the inning alive with a single, followed by a walk to Zephan Zeiler. From there, Newman, Tyler Brumm and Dawson all followed with base hits to make the score 8-4. That was all the offense for Greater Nevada, who did not have a batter reach base in the final two innings.
Carson broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the fourth on the strength of five hits, including a grand slam. Bliss threw 1.2 innings and was tagged with the loss. He allowed eight runs on four hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Lecumberry went the rest of the way, giving up seven runs on six hits, with two strikeouts and five walks.
"We just gave up way too many walks over the weekend," Espinola said. "We have to find a way to get ahead in the count and throw strikes. Good teams will make you pay for those mistakes."
On Saturday, Tyler Brumm provided a spark against Spanish Springs with a two-run home run in the first inning, but those turned out to be the only runs for Greater Nevada in the game. The Badgers had just three batters reach base in the final four innings.
Spanish Springs tied the game in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs and put the game out of reach in the second with eight runs.
Wing suffered the loss in just 1.2 innings of work, giving up 10 runs (six earned) on seven hits. He struck out one and walked four. Nelson went the rest of the way and gave up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Okuma had two hits to lead the Badgers.
It was a battle of northern Nevada on Sunday as the Badgers, made up of Lowry and Spring Creek players, took on Elko. Greater Nevada grabbed the early advantage in the bottom of the first with two runs on a bases-loaded walk to Wing and a sacrifice fly by Dawson.
The lead did not last long, as Elko responded with three runs in the top of the second on three hits and two Badger errors. Greater Nevada answered back with single runs in the second and third innings on a double by Okuma and a home run from Bliss to go up 4-3.
Elko came back to tie the game in the top of the sixth, only to see the Badgers go back on top in the bottom of the sixth on a two-RBI double by Tyler Brumm that scored Pruitt and Newman. Elko put on a small rally in the top of the seventh, scoring a run, but Tyler Brumm was able to get out of the inning and earn the complete-game victory. Brumm allowed five runs on five hits with one strikeout and two walks. Okuma, Newman and Nelson had two hits apiece to lead the Badgers.
The Badgers started play in the Firecracker Invitational in Boise, Idaho, on Thursday with games against Meridian and the Boise Senators. Results were not available at press time. Greater Nevada plays Centennial and Columbia today at 9 a.m. and 5:15 p.m., respectively. The Badgers face the Boise Capitals Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and a team to be decided on Sunday.
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