Fernley was one of the few places to be spared by the winter storm late last week and that let the Lowry High School softball team open its Northern 3A season.
The single Friday game was postponed but the two rivals played a doubleheader on Saturday. Fernley won game one 2-0 and Lowry answered back with a 12-10 victory in game two.
Vaqueros blank
Lady Bucks
The opening game of the series proved to be a pitchers dual, as the contest was scoreless through five innings.
Lowry had runners on base in each of the first three innings and had a good chance to score in the third inning. However, a double play ended the threat with Alyssa Kuskie on third base.
Madi McClellan opened the fourth inning with a double and advanced to third base on a single by Bailey Sapien but was stranded at third base and did not score. Kuskie found herself on third base again in the fifth inning after a single but the Lady Bucks could not score the run.
Fernley broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning after a walk and double to open the inning.
Kuskie had two hits for Lowry and Kelcey Cooper, McClellan and Sapien had one hit apiece.
Sylvie Prokasky suffered the loss, allowing five hits on two runs. She struck out three and walked four.
Lowry rallies to
knock off Fernley
While pitching dominated game one of the day, the bats awoke for both teams in the nightcap.
Fernley jumped out to a 5-0 lead after an inning of play but that was short-lived as Lowry rallied with five runs in the top of the second. Sapien began the rally with a lead-off walk, which was followed by singles by Sierra Maestrejuan and Macey Katzenmeyer and a double by Prokasky. Kuskie added a two-RBI triple and later scored on an error to tie the game at 5-5.
Fernley added a single run in the bottom of the third inning to go in front 6-5, only to see Lowry score five runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Lady Bucks did not trail from that point on.
A double by McClellan pushed Lowry in front 7-6 and Maestrejuan closed out the frame with a three-run home run to make the score 10-6. Sydney Connors added a solo home run in the fifth and the Lady Bucks tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning.
Lowry had 12 hits in the game, including three by Maestrejuan. The junior added three RBI and two runs scored. Sappington and Connors each had two hits and Kuskie, Cooper, McClellan, Katzenmeyer and Prokasky each had a hit.
Maestrejuan earned the win in .2 innings in the circle. Katzenmeyer started and received a no decision. She allowed six runs (three earned) on three hits. She walked three and struck out one. Prokasky threw four innings.
Lowry (1-4 overall, 1-1 Northern 3A) was back in Fernley on Monday to make up the postponed game. Results were not available at press time. The Lady Bucks host Spring Creek this weekend. Friday’s single game starts at 4 p.m. and Saturday's doubleheaders begins at 11 a.m.
