For the first time in a number of years, the Lowry High School baseball team had a chance to advance to the playoffs as the squad took to the field in the regular season finale last week against Truckee.
The Buckaroos would have needed three wins and a little help from other teams to advance to the regional tournament. Lowry came up short in its bid for the postseason, dropping all three games to Truckee. The Wolverines won a single game on Thursday, May 3, 7-2 and swept a doubleheader on Friday, May 4, 10-0 and 16-6.
Bucks drop opener to Wolverines
The opening game of the series proved to be a pitchers duel through the first five innings. Truckee grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the fourth inning, only to see Lowry go in front 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning after a single by Tazmin Milton and a triple from Jordan Parker. Parker scored after a RBI-single by Anthony Hemp.
The Buckaroos held the 2-1 lead with two outs in the sixth inning but an error on a bad hop allowed two runs to score from there and flood gates opened. Truckee scored three times in the sixth inning and three more times in the seventh to secure the victory.
Lowry was held to three hits — one each by Milton, Parker and Hemp. Milton suffered the loss in the complete-game effort. He allowed seven runs (three earned) on 14 hits. He struck out two and walked none.
Truckee shuts out Lowry
Truckee scored three times in the first game of the doubleheader last Friday and never trailed.
The Wolverines scored five times in the fourth inning and once more in the fifth to end the game on the 10-run mercy rule.
Lowry’s only runner and base hit came from Josh Leveille in the third inning. Leveille’s hit went off the glove of Truckee pitcher Gary Grosjean and stopped short of second base.
Jake Marriott started for Lowry and took the loss in four innings of work. He allowed nine runs (four earned) on 11 hits, He walked two and struck out one.
Parker threw the final inning and allowed one run on two hits.
Truckee rallies to
beat Lowry
Lowry looked poised to win the season finale and led 5-3 after three innings of play. However, the Wolverines plated 14 runs in the final four innings, including seven in the seventh inning.
Truckee used three hits in the top of the first inning to lead 2-0 but Lowry countered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Ridge Ricketts led off the first inning with a single and after two outs were recorded, Marriott, Milton and Riley Sakurada followed with singles to put the Buckaroos up 3-2.
Lowry extended the advantage to 5-2 in the second inning, as the rally started after a lead-off single by Parker. Ricketts followed with an RBI-double and Leveille and Marriott also had base hits.
The Buckaroos’ bats went silent until the seventh inning when they strung together four hits to score a single run.
Truckee closed the gap to 5-4 in the fourth inning and took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth. The Wolverines closed out the game with two runs in the sixth inning and seven more in the seventh.
Ricketts paced Lowry with four hits and two runs scored, while Marriott added three hits. Dominick Kelley, Leveille and Milton had two hits apiece.
In his final game as a Buckaroo, Ren Mattson pitched six innings in the loss. He allowed nine runs (four earned) on 11 hits. He struck out five and walked one. Milton and Ricketts combined to throw the final inning.
Lowry finished the season 10-19 overall and 9-15 in the Northern 3A. A season ago, the Buckaroos won just four games.
