The Lowry High School softball team ended a busy week of six games in six ways, the same way it started.
After sweeping three games at Dayton to start last week, the Lady Bucks picked up another three impressive home wins this past weekend against South Tahoe. Lowry outscored South Tahoe 55-4 to improve to 15-0 in the Northern 3A and its winning streak to 16 games. The Lady Bucks won Friday’s opener 17-0 and a doubleheader 20-1 and 18-3 on Saturday.
Lowry blanks South Tahoe
After getting shutdown in the bottom of the first inning, the Lady Bucks had a big answer in the second. Lowry scored all 17 of its runs and sent 22 batters to the plate in the frame.
Alanna Miller started the rally with a lead-off single. She batted three times in the inning with another single and hit by pitch. After a walk to Madi McClellan, Kaity Sample added a RBI-double. Two batters later, Tiana Herrera tripled for the first of her two hits of the innings, which scored McClellan and Sample for a 4-0 lead. Herrera scored on a passed ball by the South Tahoe catcher to increase the advantage to 5-0.
After consecutive walks to Alyssa Kuskie, Kelcey Cooper and Kyllie Sappington, Sydney Connors cleared the bases with a double to the fence to make the score 8-0.
Miller turned over the lineup for the first time with a single that scored Connors and McClellan followed with a RBI-double. After the second out was recorded, Herrera, Sylvie Prokasky and Kuskie followed with consecutive hits to increase the lead.
Later in the inning, Connors added her second double of the inning to make the score 15-0. Following Miller getting hit by a pitch, McClellan closed out the scoring with a two-RBI double.
Connors, Miller, McClellan and Herrera each had two hits, as Lowry had 13 as a team in just two innings. The foursome combined for 10 RBI and eight runs scored. Kuskie, Cooper, Sappington, Sample and Prokasky had one hit apiece.
Macey Katzenmeyer picked up the win in the circle in three innings of work. She allowed three hits, while striking out four and walking one.
Lowry routs South Tahoe
After giving up the first run in the top of the first inning, the offensive explosion continued for the Lady Bucks, who scored 13 runs in the first inning and seven more in the second.
Kuskie and Cooper started the bottom of the first with a walk and single, respectively. After the first out was recorded, Connors followed with a triple and Miller a double to extend the Lowry lead to 3-1. Two batters later, McClellan cleared the bases with a two-run home run.
Herrera restarted the rally with a single, and after a walk to Bailey Sapien and single by Prokasky, Kuskie drove in a pair of runs with a double. She, along with Cooper scored on a double by Sappington to make the score 10-1. Connors followed with RBI-single and eventually scored on an error. Miller scored the final run after a sac bunt by McClellan.
The Lady Bucks added seven runs in the second inning on the strength of base hits by Connors, McClellan and Herrera.
Connors was 3-for-3 for Lowry with four RBI and three runs scored. McClellan and Prokasky had two hits apiece and combined for five RBI and three runs scored. Kuskie, Cooper, Sappington, Miller, Herrera and Sample had one hit apiece.
Prokasky earned the complete-game victory. She allowed one run (none earned) on three hits. She struck out three and walked none.
Lady Bucks finish sweep
For the second game in a row, South Tahoe grabbed a 1-0 lead, but it was all Lowry after that. The Lady Bucks were retired in order in the bottom of the first inning, but answered back with 13 runs in the second inning.
The Lady Bucks scored their first two runs without the aid of the hit. McClellan provided Lowry with its first hit – a triple and she scored on a passed ball. Connors, Sample, Herrera and Kuskie had run scoring doubles that added to the lead.
South Tahoe got back two runs in the third inning to close the gap to 13-3, when Lowry closed out the game with five runs in the third inning. Three of those came off a home run by Kuskie and the game-winner came on a single by Sample that scored Connors.
Sample was 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. Kuskie was one of four players with two hits, as the junior had a team-high five RBI to go with two runs scored. Amaya Herrera, Cooper and Connors also had two hits.
Katzenmeyer notched the win in three innings of work. She allowed three runs on six hits. Tiana Herrera pitched a perfect inning of relief with two strikeouts.
The battle for the top spot in the Northern 3A will take place in Winnemucca this weekend. Lowry (15-0) hosts Churchill County (14-0), starting with a single game on Friday at 3 p.m. The two teams play a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.
The Lady Bucks have outscored their league opponents 248-17, while the Greenwave has outscored their opponents 178-11. Both teams have clinched playoff berths for the regional tournament in May. The winner of the series edges closer to a top-two seed and a first-round bye.
