The Lowry High School softball team had not played a league game in the Northern 3A, but knew its season was being suspended beginning on Monday.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association announced late Friday afternoon that all activities were being suspended starting Monday.
With that in mind, the Lady Bucks took to the field Saturday morning in Winnemucca to take on Spring Creek in the Northern 3A opener for both teams.
Some schools around Nevada did senior day, but Lowry did not, holding out hope that the season will resume eventually.
Lowry withstood a sluggish start in game one to win 10-6 and dominated the nightcap 12-2 for its first two wins of the year.
“It’s just been a crazy week and the girls stayed focus for the most part,” said coach Austin Mayo. “I can’t blame them if they were not 100% focused. We did what we needed to do. We are a young team and knew we would have some growing pains. They came in not knowing if they are going to have a season after today.”
In the opening game, Lowry jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after a RBI-triple by Sierra Maestrejuan scored Bailey Hayes.
The gap moved to 3-0 in the second inning on the strength of a two-run home run by Destiny Starkey, the No. 9 bat in the lineup.
The Lady Bucks looked to be on cruise control, increasing the advantage to 5-0 in the third inning. Maestrejuan started the rally with a one-out single.
After the second out was recorded, Kenzi Dowd-Smith and Mackenzie Salas-Begay followed with a single and double, respectively.
Salas-Begay had a team-high three hits, including two doubles.
What was a blowout, turned into a tie game in the top of the six inning. Spring Creek took advantage of Lowry miscues to tie the game at 6-6 in the sixth inning. The Spartans scored two runs apiece in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Lowry regrouped in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Shelbie Hoyt and Starkey reached base on walks.
The began a four-run rally to close the contest out. Hayes, Hannah Toth and Dowd-Smith all had singles in the inning as well.
Salas-Begay made easy work of the Spartans in the seventh inning to earn the complete-game victory. Salas-Begay allowed six runs (five earned) on 10 hits. She struck out three and walked one.
Lowry had 13 hits, with Hayes, Maestrejuan, Dowd-Smith and Starkey each picking up two. Kelcey Cooper and Toth had one hit apiece.
“We came in telling the girls these are two wins that we still need,” Mayo said. “It’s a suspension and not a cancellation. The state is aking the girls to do a lot but it’s not an excuse.”
Lowry cruises past Spring Creek
Lowry gave up the first run in the nightcap, but freshman Bree Dunckhorst settled down in the circle from there and allowed just five hits to the Spartans.
Cooper tied the game in the bottom of the first inning with a lead off home run.
The floodgates opened from there, as the next six batters reached base and five of them scored. Hayes followed with a walk. Maestrejuan doubled and Salas-Begay followed with a two-RBI single. Toth and Dowd-Smith reached on back-t0back walks and Hoyt added to the run total with a single. The final run of the inning scored on a ground out by Starkey. In all, Lowry sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning.
Spring Creek tacked on a single run in the top of the third inning, but Lowry got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Salas-Begay added two more RBI, with a single that scored Hayes and Maestrejuan.
The Lady Bucks ended the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with four runs. Dowd-Smith led off the frame with a triple and scored on a stolen base. Starkey, Cooper, Maestrejuan and Alexus Gomeszadded singles to close out the contest.
Salas-Begay was one of four Lowry players with two hits. She also had a team-high four RBI. Cooper, Maestrejuan and Hoyt also had two hits. Gomez, Dowd-Smith and Starkey had one hit apiece.
Dunckhorst allowed two runs on five hits. She struck out seven and walked two.
“Our message to the girls is to be ready to go at anytime,” added the coach. “As coaches we are not allowed to be around them. We can not meet as a team — period. They can do things on their own.”
