WINNEMUCCA - After losing two of three games to Battle Mountain on the final two days of March, the playoff hopes for the Lowry High School baseball team looked to be an iffy proposition, as the team stood at 4-2 in league play.
However, from that point on the Buckaroos won two of three games from 3A rivals Elko and Spring Creek to get back into the playoff hunt, with a chance to win the league and host a playoff series.
In order for that to happen, Lowry needed to sweep White Pine this past weekend and get help from Spring Creek in its match up with Elko. The Buckaroos did their part, beating the Bobcats by the 10-run rule in every game. Lowry won Friday's opener 10-0 and swept a doubleheader Saturday 11-2 and 12-2 to finish the regular season at 15-10 overall and 11-4 in the Ruby Mountain League. However, Spring Creek did not do its part for Lowry, as Elko took the first two games from the Spartans and won the league title.
"When you look back about five to six weeks ago after we left Battle Mountain, we had a huge hill to climb," said LHS head coach Ron Espinola. "We had a huge hill to climb but the kids did what they needed to do, which is simply play the game they are capable of and that is what they did. In reality, if a couple of things go our way, we run the table on the rest of the schedule (since Battle Mountain). The kids had their backs to the wall for four weeks, knowing that the pressure is on them and they accepted that. Would you expect anything else from these kids? Not with these kids."
Bryan Noble was nearly perfect for Lowry on Friday, as the senior faced the minimum 15 batters, allowing just one hit in the fourth inning. The leadoff single was erased as Buckaroo catcher Michal Arenas threw Levi Valdez out at second base on a stolen base attempt. Noble went on to strike out three of the final batters and finished with 10 strikeouts in the game.
Lowry strung together two runs in the first inning without a hit, as Brandon Okuma struck out and reached on a wild pitch and Calvin Connors walked and both eventually scored. Okuma crossed home plate for a second time in the second inning after doubling and scoring after two White Pine errors.
The Buckaroos broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth on a two-RBI triple by Tyler Brumm that scored Okuma and Connors. Noble then helped himself out with a sacrifice fly to score Noble and Tanner. Lecumberry closed out the four-run inning with a single that scored Jace Billingsley.
Lowry closed out the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, which included hits from Connors, Brumm and Jesse Studebaker.
Connors, Brumm, Studebaker and Lecumberry each had two hits, with Connors and Okuma scoring three runs apiece.
The Buckaroos wasted little time getting on the board in Saturday's first game, scoring two or more runs in each of the first four innings. Lowry strung together four hits in the first inning, with Brumm and Billingsley picking up RBIs.
It was much of the same in the second, as Brandon Eastman and Alex Nimmick had consecutive hits to start the frame and scored. Johnny Hernandez reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch to give Lowry a 5-0 advantage.
Okuma's two-RBI single in the third inning added to the lead and the Buckaroos put up four more runs in the fourth, including two off a single by Hernandez.
Meanwhile, just like the day before with Noble, Billingsley provided Lowry with another strong pitching performance, allowing just one run on four hits on just 54 pitches. The senior gave up singles in each of the first two innings before White Pine plated its only run in the fifth on two singles. He struck out six and walked one.
"We came out and immediately strung hits together, which we didn't do on Friday," Espinola said. "You could see the kids were ready and they knew it was there and they took it and that is all it comes down to. Like every year it is an honor to coach these kids. These kids have been there and back in every sport and it shows."
White Pine's only lead of the weekend came in the first inning of the nightcap on Saturday, as the Bobcats scores twice. However from that point, Studebaker settled down on the mound and gave up just two hits in the next three innings and picked up the win. Jalen Formby came on in the fifth to record the final three outs.
Lowry quickly reclaimed the advantage in the second inning, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs, six of them with two outs. With two outs, Gus Duncan began the rally with a single and after a walk to Nimmick, Okuma, Eastman, Noble, Brumm and Billingsley followed with singles to make the score 7-2.
The Buckaroos added three runs in the fourth and finished off the series in the fifth in an unusual way. Okuma led off the frame and scored on a triple by Formby. From there White Pine intentionally walked Noble and Brumm to load the bases. However that tactic failed as Aryton Almberg walked Billingsley to score the winning run.
"This year is a little different and there is a sense we earned it more," said the coach. "The kids take a lot of pride in what they did."
Lowry's opponent in the playoffs is yet to be determined, as the Lahontan League still has games to play. The Buckaroos can still play Churchill County, Fernley or Dayton.
"Right now we don't care who we play we just wanted to be in it," Espinola said. "With the group that went to state last year they know what it is going to take and the opportunity is there and it is going to be fun."
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