FALLON — For all intent and purposes, the Lowry High School season was all but over on Friday night as it took on Dayton in an elimination game in the Northern 3A Regional Championships in Fallon.
The Lady Bucks looked sluggish from the start and trailed 4-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. Dayton had just four hits in the contest but seven Lowry errors kept the Dust Devils in front.
Lowry managed just three hits through the first six innings of play and gave away chances to score in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
Sierra Maestrejuan led off the seventh inning but was erased two batters later on a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning. The first came on a diving catch by the Dayton shortstop.
With Sylvie Prokasky on first base after the fielder’s choice, Alyssa Kuskie singled up the middle to keep the game alive. Down to their final strike of the season, Kelcey Cooper tripled to score Prokasky and Kuskie to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Kyllie Sappington followed with a walk to put runners on first and third base, with junior Sydney Connors up to the plate. Connors faced the same 0-2 count that Cooper did and singled to left field to score Cooper and make the score 4-3.
The season looked to be over as Madi McClellan grounded ball to second base but Dayton second baseman Amanda Woitas committed an error to allow McClellan to reach base and Sappington and Connors advanced to third and second base.
Lowry used that error to win the game two pitches later, as Bailey Sapien drove a ball to right field that scored two runs and give the Lady Bucks an improbable 5-4 comeback.
Maestrejuan earned the win in the circle in relief of Macey Katzenmeyer. Katzenmeyer threw just 1.2 innings and gave up two runs (none earned) on one hit. She walked three and struck out one. Maestrejuan threw the final 5.1 innings and allowed two runs (none earned) on three hits. She struck out five and walked three.
Lowry advances to state for first time since 2012
After surviving a scare the night before, Lowry next mission was to get the monkey off its back that had been on there for six years. Since 2012 in one way or another, the Lady Bucks came up short in an elimination game and were not able to reach the state tournament.
All Lowry had to do this year was to knock off Fernley, the defending 3A state champions. After struggling with Dayton, Lowry bounced back to beat Fernley 6-4 on Saturday morning and punched its ticket to the state tournament.
Sappington broke a 0-0 tie in the top of the third inning with a solo home run and the Lady Bucks would never trail. Lowry added to the advantage in the fourth inning on a two-RBI double by Connors that scored Cooper and Sappington.
Fernley got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth inning on a solo home run by Reese Jones. Lowry got that run back in the fifth inning, as Prokasky helped herself out with a RBI-single that scored Sapien to make the score 4-1.
The Vaqueros bounced back in the bottom of the fifth and scored two runs with the aid of two Lowry errors. However, the inning ended with a ground ball to Prokasky, who threw the ball to Maestrejuan for the final out.
Lowry collected two important insurance runs in the sixth inning, as Cooper led off the frame with a double to right field. After the first out was recorded, Connors and McClellan followed with walks to load the bases. Sapien followed with a single that scored Cooper and Connors also scored on the play after an error.
The defending state champions did not go quietly and produced three hits in the seventh inning but a ground ball to Connors ended the game and set off a celebration by the Lady Bucks.
Prokasky earned the complete-game win, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits. She struck out four and walked one. Prokasky also had a team-high three hits. Cooper, Sappington and Connors each had two hits.
Lowry falls in
championship game
Lowry was right back on the field after its win over Fernley to take on Churchill County. Just as the game started the skies opened with rain and continued through the title contest.
The Greenwave hit five home runs in the championship game on their way to a 14-2 victory. Churchill County jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and extended it to 10-0 in the fourth. Stacey Kalt, Faith Cornmesser and Jordan Beyers all hit home runs in the fourth inning.
Lowry kept the game alive with a run in the fifth inning and added a second run in the sixth inning off a home run by Sapien. Churchill County closed the game in the sixth on a three-run home run by Kalt.
Lowry falls in opener to Churchill County
Lowry opened the regional tournament on Thursday afternoon against Churchill County and the result resembled a football score. The Greenwave hit seven home runs and pulled away for a 20-10 victory.
The Lady Bucks actually led 5-2 after two innings, but the Greenwave took an 8-5 lead after four innings of play. However. Churchill County scored six runs apiece in the fifth and sixth innings to make the score 20-5.
Connors hit a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth but could not prevent the game from ending on the mercy rule.
Lowry keeps season alive with win over Elko
Lowry kept its season alive with an 11-1 win over Elko on Friday morning. The Lady Bucks put the Indians away early with two runs in the first inning and four runs apiece in the second and third innings.
Lowry opens the state tournament on Thursday against Boulder City at 4:30 p.m. at Reno High School. Churchill County and Pahrump Valley play at 2 p.m.
The two losers play at noon on Friday and the winners play at 2:30. A second elimination game is set for 5 p.m. on Friday. The championship is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday.
