This past weekend the Battle Mountain High School baseball team took the diamond against Yerington Lions for a three-games series.
The Longhorns defeated the Lions in game two after a walk-off hit by Gabe Naveran.
On Friday, March 23, Battle Mountain started the first of the three games against a tough Yerington team. The Longhorns, hoping to set themselves apart with the series against the Lions, struggled at the plate early in the game, while the Lions got the bats going early scoring two runs in the first inning.
Battle Mountain pitcher Mason Fuller helped keep Yerington in check before the giving up two more runs to the Lions in the top of the fourth inning, bringing the Yerington lead to 4-0.
The Longhorns, who left 17 runners on base throughout the game, started to string hits together late in the contest. Battle Mountain scored their first run in the bottom half of the fifth inning cutting the lead to 4-1.
The Longhorns failed to keep the Lions off the scoreboard in the seventh, as Yerington extended its lead to 5-1 going into the bottom half of the inning. The bats for the Longhorns started to show life but would only score one run in the bottom of the seventh inning resulting in the final score of 5-2 in favor of YHS.
In game two, Battle Mountain looked to redeem itself but again gave up an early lead to Yerington, who scored in the top of the first inning.
Down 1-0, the Longhorns and the Lions were locked in a pitchers dual with Naveran and the Longhorn defense keeping the Lions off the scoreboard until the top of the fourth inning when they extended their lead to 2-0.
With the Longhorn bats still struggling all the way to the bottom of the seventh inning, BMHS was down to its final three outs. Down two runs, the bats came alive and combined with the patient Longhorns batters started to lead the comeback.
Battle Mountain scored two runs in the inning to tie the game, which brought Naveran to the plate with the bases loaded. Naveran hit a hard ground ball to the Yerington third baseman who could not field the ball resulting in the game-winning 3-2 walk-off win.
On Saturday, March 24, game three began much like the first two, with Yerington snagging an early lead scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Although the Longhorns hit the ball well in the contest, they still struggled to get runners in scoring position to score.
Battle Mountain cut the lead to two after an RBI-double by Quinton Defoor, bringing the score to 3-1 in the top of the second inning.
That score would remain until the fifth inning, when Battle Mountain scored again cutting the lead to 3-2.
Erik Martinez hit a double in the fifth inning then advanced to third off of the sacrifice ground ball by Thomas Paird. Naveran, next to the plate, hit a hard ground ball single through the gap and into center field scoring Martinez. Unfortunately, after the Longhorns put runners at second and third base, Quintana struck out to end the inning.
The one-run lead did not last long though, as Yerington scored again in the bottom half of the fifth inning bringing the lead to 4-2. The Longhorns went three up three down in thew sixth inning and Yerington added another run.
Down 5-2, the Longhorns comeback looked to repeat itself as they scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Down 5-4, the Longhorns failed to score again and dropped their second of the three-game series.
Battle Mountain is 5-3 on season and remains in good position to make the postseason. Yerington, a contender to win the northern 2A, improved their season record to 5-2-1 and 3-1 in league play.
The Longhorns were back on the field on Tuesday, at home against Silver Stage. The Longhorns travel to play a doubleheader against the Nighthawks on Saturday at 10 a.m.
