If you look at the baseball standings in the Northern 3A, you would see it is a total mess. Three games separate the six teams as the final week of the regular season is this weekend.
Lowry High School is tied for seventh place with Spring Creek at 9-12 but both teams still have a chance to reach the regional playoffs.
However, the teams are on the opposite end of the schedule. The Spartans play three games with winless Sparks and the Buckaroos play Truckee, who is third in the league at 12-8.
Lowry dropped Friday’s single game to Churchill County in Fallon on Friday by a 14-7 score. The Greenwave claimed the first game on Saturday 3-2 but Lowry took home the finale 15-3 to keep its playoff hopes alive.
Big inning leads
to Greenwave win
Lowry put itself behind the eight ball in the first of Friday’s game, as three errors, two walks and a handful of Churchill County hits led to an eight-run first inning by the Greenwave.
Churchill County added four runs in the third inning to increase their lead to 12-1 and looked poised to end the contest by the mercy rule in the fifth inning.
The Buckaroos had two hits in each of the first four inning but could plate just one run. Lowry prevented the 10-run rule with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Ridge Ricketts led off the fifth inning with a triple and was followed by consecutive singles by Brendan Domire, Josh Leveille and Jake Marriott.
Churchill County put two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth inning but could not close out the game. The Buckaroos answered with two more runs in the sixth inning after back-to-back triples by Domire and Leveille and consecutive singles by Marriott and Tazmin Milton.
The Greenwave added two runs in the sixth inning and Lowry returned the favor in the seventh but could not complete the comeback.
Lowry outhit Churchill County 18-13 but left 11 runners on base. Ricketts, Domire and Marriott paced the Buckaroos with three hits apiece. Leveille and Milton each had two hits.
Marriott started and suffered the loss in two innings of work. He allowed 11 runs (six earned) on seven hits. He walked three and struck out one. Ricketts threw the final two inning and gave up three runs on six hits. He had two strikeouts and two walks.
Greenwave takes
Saturday opener
The first game on Saturday proved to be a pitcher duel and Churchill County scored all three of its runs in the second inning. The Greenwave had just one hit in the frame but took advantage of two Lowry errors.
Lowry got on the scoreboard in the third inning after a lead-off single by Riley Sakurada. The senior eventually scored after Domire reached base on an error.
The Buckaroos added their second run in the fourth inning on the strength of a RBI-single by Anthony Hemp. Lowry had just one runner reach base in the final three innings and could not get a rally going. Marriott had two of Lowry’s three hits.
Milton went the distance on the mound but suffered the loss. He allowed three runs (none earned). He gave up six hits and had three strikeouts and one walk.
Lowry blows out Churchill County in finale
Lowry kept its postseason hopes alive with a 12-run win in the series finale. The Buckaroos used an eight-run sixth inning to pull away.
Lowry used a double by Ricketts and a single by Marriott to lead 1-0 in the first inning and never trailed. Ren Mattson led the fourth inning and scored as part of a four-run frame.
The Buckaroos took advantage of wild pitching by the Greenwave to add on to their lead.
Lowry blew the game open with eight runs in the sixth inning to lead 15-0. Churchill County scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Buckaroos pounded out 14 hits with Mattson leading the way with three. Ricketts, Leveille, Marriott, Milton and Hemp each had two hits.
Mattson earned the complete-game victory, allowing three runs and eight hits in seven innings of work. He struck out seven and walked two.
Churchill County (16-5), Elko (15-6) and Truckee (13-8) have clinched playoff spots in the Northern 3A Regional Tournament. South Tahoe (13-10), Dayton (10-10) and Fernley (10-11) hold the final three playoff spots.
Lowry closes out the regular season this week at home against Truckee, starting on Thursday at 4 p.m. The two reams play a doubleheader on Friday at 11 a.m.