The Battle Mountain High School softball team completed a sweep of Pershing County last week at home with a 7-3 victory, but dropped its first game of this season this past Saturday in a doubleheader split with Silver Stage. The Nighthawks won the first game 16-12, with the Lady Longhorns winning the nightcap 8-6.
Battle Mountain is 9-1 in league play and 12-2 overall.
Against Pershing County on Tuesday, May 4, the Mustangs scored a pair of runs in the first inning to take an early lead, but the Lady Longhorns answered back with five runs in the bottom of the first and did not trail again.
Pershing County closed the gap to 5-3 in the top of the sixth inning, only to see Battle Mountain add two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the season sweep.
Noliena Castellanos and Jackie La Riva had three hits apiece and combined for three RBI. Reagan Buller added two hits and Christina Holley had a hit.
Shea Jones earned the win in the circle in the complete-game effort. She allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. She struck out nine and walked three.
Saturday’s opening game in Silver Springs saw a number of momentum swings, with Silver Stage rallying for the win. The Nighthawks jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the top of the second inning, when the Lady Longhorns scored one in the bottom of the second inning and three more times in the third to cut the Silver Stage lead to 8-4.
The Nighthawks added a single run in the top of the fourth inning to go in front 9-4, but saw the lead go away. The Lady Longhorns plated three runs in the fourth inning and five more in the fifth to lead for the first time at 12-9.
However, just like Silver Stage, Battle Mountain could not keep the lead, as Silver Stage cut the deficit to 12-11 in the sixth inning. The Nighthawks completed the comeback with five runs in the seventh to win 16-12.
Ashlynn Newkirk had a team-high three hits and Buller added a pair of hits. Samantha Leffler, Jessa Spring, Marena Fuller Adriana Robles and Bailey Elderkin had one hit each.
Castellanos, Spring and Jones shared the pitching duties.
Battle Mountain was in danger of being swept, trailing 6-3 in the fifth inning, before scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to win the game 8-6.
Newkirk and Buller had two hits apiece, with Buller adding two RBI. Jones had a base hit and two RBI, while Fuller and La Riva each had a hit.
Castellanos and Jones shared time in the circle.
Battle Mountain was scheduled to play the Spring Creek JV on Wednesday. Results were not available at press time. The Lady Longhorns close out the regular season at Yerington on Saturday.
The Northern 2A Regional Championships take place May 21-22 in Lovelock.
