Lowry High School baseball coach Ron Espinola knows he has the team that can compete with the top teams in the league. The Buckaroos have been perennial playoff contenders for the past few years, but are struggling to find wins on a constant basis this season.
That was the case last weekend as Lowry traveled to South Tahoe for a three-game series with the league-leading Vikings. Lowry saw a 4-3 advantage in the first game on April 10 vanish as South Tahoe scored six times in the sixth inning and went on to win 9-6 in eight innings.
Lowry saw another lead disappear in Saturday's first game and South Tahoe went on to win 13-8. The Buckaroos were able to capture the finale, winning 9-6 to improve to 6-6 in league play and 6-11 overall.
"We have blown a lot of leads this year," said LHS coach Ron Espinola. "We have been winning a lot of games and finding ways to lose them. In the third game, we finally found a way to win. We gave up a couple of big innings and that cost us in the first two games. Our pitchers had trouble throwing strikes, which has been uncommon for us. I am thinking it was just of those things."
In the series opener, Lowry jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on the strength of back-to-back singles by Mickey Donovan and Colin Doyle, which scored Tytin Johnson and Donovan Brumm. South Tahoe grabbed its first advantage with three runs in the bottom of the third. The Vikings had just one hit in the frame, but used two sacrifice flies, a walk and error to go in front 3-2.
Lowry tied the game in the top of the fourth inning on a RBI-double by Donovan that scored Johnson. The Buckaroos went in front in the fifth as Calvin Connors led off with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-3.
Lowry extended the margin to 6-3 in the top of the sixth inning, as Brandon Okuma drove home a pair of runs with a single to center field. However, the Buckaroos could not hold the lead as the Vikings countered with six runs in the bottom of the sixth. South Tahoe took advantage of three Lowry errors, a walk and hit batter to go in front.
Aaron Nelson pitched 5.1 innings for the Buckaroos and received a no decision. He allowed six runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked four and struck out one. Tanner Lecumberry took the loss, giving up two runs (none earned) as he relieved in the sixth inning. Connors came in to get the final two out of the inning.
"I probably pulled Aaron one or two hitters too early," Espinola said. "At the time I liked the decision. You can always second guess. We brought in Tanner with the thought we have to win every game. From that standpoint I trust what we did, and sometimes things go wrong. Tanner came out the next day and gave us a great outing."
Lowry outhit South Tahoe nine to four, but left eight runners on base. Donovan had three hits and Doyle two.
"Mickey hit the ball all weekend," Espinola said. "South Tahoe couldn't get him out over the three games. When a guy is that hot, you have to find a spot in the lineup for him."
In Saturday's first game, South Tahoe grabbed a 3-0 lead after an inning of play on just one base hit. The Vikings were aided by two walks and a better getting hit by a pitch. The Buckaroos were able to get out of trouble, by turning a double play to end the frame.
Lowry countered with four runs in the second inning, as Brumm began the rally by getting hit by a pitch with one out. Following a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Brandon Okuma doubled to bring home a run and Dawson closed out the rally with a two-RBI single.
South Tahoe countered with its second consecutive three-run inning to go back in front 6-4 in the bottom of the second. Lowry took its third lead of the contest with three runs in the top of the fourth inning, as Lecumberry and Johnson used singles to put the Buckaroos in front 7-6.
That was short-lived, as South Tahoe came back to score four runs in the bottom of the fourth and three more in the fifth and never trailed again.
Johnson took the loss for the Buckaroos in his three innings of work. He allowed nine runs (five earned) on four hits. He walked five and struck out one. Dawson pitched two innings of relief, giving up four runs (one earned) on seven hits. Kyle Schultz threw a scoreless sixth inning.
Lowry picked up eight hits, but left 10 runners on base. Lecumberry led the way with three hits and Dawson and Donovan had two hits each.
In the finale, South Tahoe scored single runs in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead, when Lowry scored five runs in the top of the fourth. Doyle had a RBI-single and Connors a two-RBI single as part of the inning.
The Vikings answered back with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh and had the winning run at third base, when Connors came into the game and was able to get the final two outs, to send the contest into extra innings.
"Tanner pitched a great game and got us deep into the seventh inning," Espinola said. "Calvin came in a pressure situation and got us two outs, when South Tahoe had a runner 90 feet away from winning the game. That was big for us. It was one of the tighter situations we have been in. He knew he had to throw strikes to get the kid out he needed to."
Lowry made a quick push with four runs in the top of the eighth inning, behind a two-RBI double by Connors. Lecumberry and Donovan also had singles that drove in a run.
South Tahoe scored once in the eighth inning, but Connors was able to shut down the Vikings to collect the victory.
"South Tahoe is a good team and they are not going to beat themselves," Espinola. "We were able to score some runs and made it hold up."
Lowry is back on the road for a three-game series with Churchill County this weekend. The two schools play a single game Friday at 3 p.m. and doubleheader Saturday at 11 a.m.
"Yeah, we have lost a few games, but the mindset is there and we know what we are capable of," Espinola said. "There is a firm belief that if we clean up a few things we will be OK. Nothing has really changed for us. We are trying to change the mental approach of what we are doing."[[In-content Ad]]
