The Battle Mountain High School baseball team improved its playoff positioning this past weekend with a sweep of White Pine.
The Longhorns outscored the Bobcats 44-7 in the three games to move to 9-3 in the Northern 2A and 12-4 overall. Battle Mountain won the opener on Friday 12-0 and claimed both games on Saturday 15-0 and 17-7.
Longhorns blank Bobcats
Battle Mountain quickly plated three runs in the first inning in Friday’s game and never looked back. The margin quickly grew to 9-0 in the third inning and the Longhorns ended the contest on the 10-rule with two additional runs in the fifth inning.
Battle Mountain pitching was stellar on the afternoon, allowing just two base hits.
The Longhorns collected eight hits on the day, with Gabe Naveran, Erik Martinez and Reese Artz each picking up two. Jorge Chavira and Mason Fuller had one hit apiece.
Quinton Defoor, Jordan Gonzalez and Fuller split time on the mound. The trio combined for three strikeouts and two walks.
BMHS beats White Pine
in three innings
It was the same story in the opening game on Saturday morning, as Battle Mountain quickly scored four runs in the first inning and ended the game in three innings. The Longhorns plated eight runs in the second and three more in the third to end the game on the 15-run mercy rule.
Naveran did not allow a hit in his three innings of work. He allowed one walk and another White Pine batter reached base on an error.
Defoor and Artz each had four RBI and Defoor had a team-high two hits along with Tom Baird. Kris Hall, Artz and Naveran each had one hit. Fuller and Artz each scored three runs.
Longhorns complete sweep
With the aid of five runs in the first inning and six more in the third, Battle Mountain raced out to an 11-2 lead and never looked back. White Pine did its best to get back in the game and trailed 13-6 in the sixth inning, only to see Battle Mountain score four times in the sixth inning.
Fuller and Defoor split time on the mound, with Fuller picking up the victory. He allowed three runs (none earned) on three hits. He struck out six and walked one. Defoor gave up one run and one hit in an inning of work. He struck out two and walked two.
Marcus Jury, Kade Quintana and Naveran led the offensive attack with two hits apiece. Fuller had one hit and four RBI.
Prior to this past weekend, Battle Mountain was at home on Tuesday, April 10, to take on West Wendover in a doubleheader. The games were being made up after being postponed in March.
The Wolverines won game one 2-0 and Battle Mountain claimed game two 17-10.
West Wendover
beats BMHS
Battle Mountain had its chances to score against West Wendover but base running mistakes proved to be costly. The Longhorns had one runner tagged out at home on a suicide squeeze play that went wrong. Battle Mountain could not get the bunt down and the West Wendover catcher tagged out the runner.
The Longhorns also had a runner doubled off second base on another running mistake. West Wendover held Battle Mountain to five hits and made its two runs hold up.
Defoor suffered the hard-luck loss in 6.2 innings of work. He allowed two runs (none earned) on just three hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
Quintana paced Battle Mountain with two hits.
Longhorns battle back to beat Wolverines
After a quick opening game, the nightcap took nearly three hours to play in the 27-run slugfest.
Aldo Castellanos, Fuller and Artz had two hits apiece for the Longhorns.
Battle Mountain took on Pershing County on Tuesday in Lovelock and results were not available at press time. The Longhorns host the Mustangs on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
