It was a mixed bag of results for the Battle Mountain High School softball team, who was busy with five games last week.
The Lady Longhorns were on their home field on Tuesday, April 10, to play West Wendover in a doubleheader. The games were made up after getting postponed in early March. Battle Mountain won both games, beating West Wendover 14-4 and 15-0.
Lady Longhorns cruise past Wolverines
When the game was stopped in March, Battle Mountain held 1-0 lead in the first inning. It did not take long for the Lady Longhorns to add to the lead, scoring nine more times in the opening frame when play resumed.
Battle Mountain had a chance to end the game in the third inning on the NIAA 15-run mercy rule, scoring four times. The Lady Longhorns were not able to get the last run to cross the plate.
West Wendover prevented the shutout, scoring four times in the fifth inning. The Wolverines’ rally was not enough, as the game ended on the 10-run rule.
Kira Smith earned the win the complete-game effort. The sophomore allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits. She struck out six and walked three.
Sruti Bhakta (three) and Marissa Rogers (two) accounted for five of Battle Mountain’s seven hits. Alma Chavira and Jenna Leavitt each had one hit. The Lady Longhorns were aided by eight walks and two hit batters.
BMHS finishes sweep
Battle Mountain kept the momentum going and were never challenged in the finale. The Lady Longhorns scored four runs apiece in the first and third innings to lead 9-0. The contest ended in the fourth inning, after Battle Mountain scored six times to win 15-0.
Freshman Jackie LaRiva scattered four hits through four innings to collect the victory in the circle. She struck out six and walked none.
Battle Mountain had 11 hits, including a team-high three from Chavira Rogers and Bhakta each had two hits. Rogers and Jenna Leavitt had a team-high two RBI and Carlee Petersen and Sierra Leavitt had two RBI apiece.
Battle Mountain took to the road this past weekend in Ely and lost three games to second-place White Pine. The Lady Cats won the single game on Friday 16-1 and Saturday’s doubleheader 18-3 and 12-7.
BMHS falls to White Pine
Battle Mountain collected just two hits in Friday’s opener — one each from Sarah Berumen and Bhakta. Berumen’s base hit drove home Adrianna Robles in the third inning.
White Pine raced out to a 5-0 advantage after the first inning and grew the lead to 8-0 in the third, The Lady Cats closed out the game with eight runs in the fourth inning.
Smith and LaRiva split time in the circle, with Smith suffering the loss.
Lady Cats win
Saturday opener
White Pine’s offense continued to put runs on the board in Saturday’s first game. The Lady Cats grabbed an early lead and never looked back.
White Pine rallies
to beat BMHS
Battle Mountain grabbed a 4-0 lead in the second inning of the series finale but could not hold the advantage.
White Pine countered with three runs in the second inning and five more in the fourth to lead 8-4. The Lady Cats did not trail again. White Pine added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, when Battle Mountain cut the deficit to 10-7 in the sixth inning.
The Lady Cats answered back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to stop the comeback.
Reagan Buller led Battle Mountain with four hits and two runs scored, Lynzee Devlin, Smith and Rogers each had two hits. Chavira and Rogers had two RBI apiece.
Berumen started and suffered the loss for the Lady Longhorns. She allowed 12 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits. She had eight walks and five strikeouts.
Battle Mountain traveled to Lovelock on Tuesday to take on league-leading Pershing County. Results were unavailable at press time.
Pershing County visits Battle Mountain on Saturday for a doubleheader at 10 a.m.
