In a league where every victory is important, the Lowry High School softball team just about had a win slip through its fingers Saturday afternoon against South Tahoe in Winnemucca.
The Lady Bucks were looking to finish off a sweep, while the Vikings had thoughts of pulling off an upset. Lowry was leading game three of the series 3-1 going into the seventh inning, when South used just one hit to score three times in the frame to go in front 4-3. The Vikings took advantage of an error, walk and hit batter to go in front.
Down to its last at bat, the Lady Bucks' rally started with a pair of freshmen. Alyssa Kuskie tripled to right field with one out and Kyllie Sappington reached first base on a fielders choice that scored Kuskie to tie the game. After a second out was recorded and Sappington advanced to second on a wild pitch, it was time for one of the four Lowry seniors to step up. On the first pitch she saw, Alyssa Jones doubled to right field, scoring Sappington for the winning run and 5-4 victory.
"Something that we are doing this year that we didn't do last year is not panicking when we get down," said LHS coach Ty Lucas. "We just have to stay focused and accomplish what we need to do. We showed a lot of heart in that final inning."
South Tahoe jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning off a double by Drue Chapman and Kendra Conrad. That was the only run that Kuskie gave up, as she started in the circle for the Lady Bucks.
After being sent down in order in the first three innings, the Lady Bucks broke through in the top of the fourth, started by a triple by Shelby McKinnon. McKinnon tied the game as she scored on a ground out by Ashlee Barron.
Alyssa Dendary and Kylee McClellan began the rally once again by reaching base on an error and single, respectively. Stevie DeStout followed with a two-RBI double to put the Lady Bucks up 3-1. Lowry was retired in order in five of the seven innings.
Dendary picked up the win after giving up the lead in the top of the seventh inning.
"We have a few inconsistencies that we need to work on," Lucas said. "Again, that is game-time experience and we have to make adjustments and be consistent for seven innings. You have to give South Tahoe credit, they played tough and they have a good pitcher. Getting the wins is all that matters. We don't care what the score is. We are happy with that. We just need to keep that positive attitude."
Lowry (11-1 Division I-A North, 14-2 overall) actually trailed in all three games against South Tahoe. In the series opener on Friday afternoon, Conrad led off the game for the Vikings with a home run over the center field fence, but that turned out to be all the offense for South Tahoe, as Lowry won 4-1.
Dendary allowed just two hits the rest of the way and struck out 10 batters in picking up the victory.
Lowry tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning, as Sappington doubled home McClellan, who led off the frame with a single. The Lady Bucks took the advantage for good in the second inning, when a sacrifice fly by McClellan knocked in Jones.
Kuskie singled in the fourth and sixth inning and scored twice to give Lowry two insurance runs in the victory. McClellan and Kuskie led the Lady Bucks with two hits apiece and Alana Miller, McKinnon and Sappington had one hit each.
In the first game on Saturday, it was the duo of Chapman and Haley Crowson that gave South Tahoe a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. The lead was short-lived as Lowry rallied for four runs in the bottom of the third on its way to an 11-2 victory.
Jones began the rally with a walk and McKinnon followed with a single. With one, Dendary helped herself with a two-RBI double and McClellan and DeStout added a triple and single, respectively, to put the Lady Bucks in front 4-1.
Lowry finally got to Conrad in the circle, scoring three more times in the fourth inning on base hits by Jones, Barron, Dendary and McClellan.
Lowry nearly ended the game on the 10-rule in the sixth inning, scoring three times, but South Tahoe was able to get out of the inning and make the contest go the full seven innings.
Dendary picked up the win, allowing two runs on four hits. She struck out nine and walked one. She also had three hits to lead the team, while McKinnon had two.
"Alyssa (Dendary) has been phenomenal lately," Lucas said. "She is pitching well and hitting her spots and throwing with confidence. We have to get a little more run support and we will be alright."
First place will be up for grabs this weekend as Lowry hosts Churchill County in a three-game series, starting Friday at 3 p.m. A doubleheader follows on Saturday at 11 a.m. The Greenwave are undefeated in league play.
"They know what we do and we know what they do," Lucas said. "We are fully confident about playing them."[[In-content Ad]]
