With the high school baseball season now complete, it's time to look forward to the summer season.
The Greater Nevada Badgers A squad began its run of five tournaments in Reno last weekend. The team is made up of players from Lowry and Spring Creek high schools.
Greater Nevada won its opening game 8-7 over McQueen on May 30. The Badgers played twice on Saturday and lost 15-5 to Reno and 15-3 to IBAC, a squad out of California. The Badgers closed out the weekend with a 9-2 loss to the Sierra Sundevils.
"The guys know each other from playing against one another," said coach Ron Espinola. "Some played together during the summer last year. We got to Reno and were handing out the uniforms to the Spring Creek kids. They are still trying to get to know each other. There is really not one vocal guy on the field that stands out. They lead by example and not by their voice. The communication will come out on the field."
Greater Nevada overcame a 2-0 deficit after the top of the first inning to tie the game in the bottom of the opening frame. With one out, Mike Smith reached base after a dropped a third strike and Aaron Nelson followed with a double. A ground out by Tytin Johnson cut the lead in half and with the bases loaded, LJ Achenbach walked to tie the game.
McQueen grabbed the advantage back in the top of the second, scoring four runs on just one hit. The Badgers walked three batters in the frame and also committed an error.
Greater Nevada took advantage of some off pitching by McQueen in the bottom of the second, as Colin Doyle and Smith reached bases on walks. With two outs, Johnson picked up his second and third RBI of the night with a double to cut the deficit to 6-4. Johnson came around to score after a single by Zephan Zeiler.
McQueen tacked on a single run in the third inning to go in front 7-5, but did not have another hits the rest of the game.
Zack Zeiler started and went five innings one the mound. He struck out 10 and walked five. He allowed seven runs (three earned) on four hits. Kody Kirby threw the final two innings to earn the win. He struck out four of the seven batters he faced and didn't give up a hit.
Greater Nevada tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning on a bases loaded walk by Achenbach and a ground out by Mickey Donovan. Nelson provided the winning run in the fifth inning with a single that scored Smith.
"It was an ugly game," Espinola said. "We made a lot of errors, but we hit the ball well and threw it good for the most part with the 14 strikeouts. It's a new group of kids and we are young. Most of our guys are sophomores and it goes back to getting familiar with each other."
Against Reno, Greater Nevada jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-RBI double by Zack Zeiler that scored Nelson and Achenbach. The Knights answered with four runs in the bottom of the first inning and did not trail the rest of the way.
Greater Nevada cut the gap to 4-3 on a RBI-single by Nelson that scored Anthony Silva, only to see Reno counter with six runs in the bottom the fourth to go in front 10-3. The Badgers plated single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Knights scored three times in the fifth and closed out the contest on the 10-run rule in the sixth with two more runs.
Smith picked up the loss in 3.1 innings of work. He allowed eight runs (none earned) on five hits. Johnson and Shettler also pitched for Greater Nevada. The Badgers committed nine errors and of the 15 runs allowed, two were earned.
In Saturday's second game against IBAC, the California squad jumped to a 6-0 lead after three innings of play. Greater Nevada got on the board in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Zephan Zeiler. IBAC countered with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth and was able to win by the 10-run rule.
Kyle Schultz suffered the loss for the Badgers, while Doyle and Silva also saw time on the mound.
"Those were two good teams that we played," Espinola said. "Those guys have a lot of experience. Reno doesn't care who you are. If you show a weakness they will take advantage of it."
Greater Nevada closed out the weekend on Sunday against the Sierra Sundevils, a team made up players throughout the Reno/Sparks area.
"That team has some players," Espinola said. "They had three high school kids on their team that is returning. All of their other players are graduating or already in college. They were good. They had the Division I Player of the Year."
Greater Nevada took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on base hits by Smith and Zack Zeiler, but it was all Sierra after that. The Sundevils led 5-2 after five innings and added four runs in the sixth to pull away for the victory.
Greater Nevada is back on the field June 12-15 at the Nampa Father's Day Classic Wood Bat Tournament.[[In-content Ad]]
