The Battle Mountain High School softball team lost a 12-11 heartbreaker to Yerington on Friday, and then two more Saturday to fall to 0-3 in Division III Northern league play. The team is 4-7 overall for the season so far.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
Friday’s contest was nip-and-tuck from the get-go, with both teams posting runs steadily. By the top half of the sixth inning, though, the Lady Longhorns had pulled ahead to an 11-6 lead.
It was all for naught, as six runs in the bottom of the sixth gave the Lady Lions the win in dramatic, come-from-behind style.
Junior McKenna Jones pitched the first three innings for the Lady Longhorns, allowing six runs on six hits, with three walks and four strikeouts. Jones also led the Longhorn offensive, with three singles and a walk in four appearances for a perfect on-base percentage. She batted in three to lead the team, and scored one herself.
Senior outfielder Kali Kester had a great game as well, with a single, a double, and a walk, plus two stolen bases, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Junior Riane Schroeder contributed two hits, an RBI and one run.
Kylie Sondermann relieved Jones in the fourth, and also allowed six runs on six hits. She walked one, and struck out one.
Lion pitching shines in game two
In the first half of Saturday’s doubleheader, Yerington jumped to an early lead, plating five runs in the bottom of the first inning. They followed up with one-run innings in the second, third and fifth innings.
The Lion’s offensive onslaught was backed up by a great performance from the circle. The Yerington pitcher allowed just five hits, and one walk, while striking out nine.
Three of the Longhorn hits were doubles, by Kester, Jones, and senior outfielder Morgan Fischer. Kester and Sondermann each stole a base.
Despite these glimmers of hope, Battle Mountain never managed to get any significant rallies underway. The team managed single-run innings in the fourth and sixth, but it was too little, too late. The game ended with a final score of 8-2.
Slugfest goes to the Lions
The third and final game of the series saw the two teams score 24 runs between them. Despite a six-run fourth inning for the Longhorns, the Lions came out on top, scoring 16 runs on 10 hits and 10 walks. Battle Mountain scored just eight runs on seven hits and five walks, with two reaching base on errors.
McKenna Jones (1.1 innings) and Kylie Sondermann (4.2 innings) split the pitching duties. Jones allowed seven runs on one hit and seven walks, while Sondermann gave up nine runs on eight hits, with three walks and a strikeout.
Catcher Marissa Rogers led the Longhorn offense, with a homer, four RBIs, and two singles.
Junior Jonni Davis drove in two runs, hitting a double and single and reach base on a walk.
Senior Morgan Fisher got on base once with a single and once on an error, and scored both times. Kali Kester stole a base.
Next up: North Tahoe
Battle Mountain travels to Tahoe City, Calif. next weekend to take on the North Tahoe Lakers in another three-game series. The Lakers are also 0-3 in league play, and 0-5 overall. Battle Mountain is currently 4-7 overall.
