The Lowry High School baseball team saw its postseason chances take a hit after dropping a doubleheader in Spring Creek this past Saturday.
The Spartans won the opener 3-0 and completed the sweep in the nightcap, winning 10-2. The series was scheduled to start on Friday but it was postponed due to weather and snow in Spring Creek. The game was played Monday and results were not available at press time.
Spring Creek 3, Lowry 0
The opening game of the series proved to be a pitcher’s duel, as Lowry’s Marcus Montes and Spring Creek’s Slayde Jones shined on the mound.
Jones allowed just four hits in his complete game win. He needed just 84 pitches and struck out nine Buckaroos.
Montes struck out 12 but walked five in his 5.1 innings of work.
The sophomore allowed just two hits and two earned runs. However, his pitch count got to 101 and Kaiden Boyles threw the final .2 innings.
Lowry put two runners on bade in the first inning off of singles by Kasyn Garner and Boyles but could not sustain the rally.
The Buckaroos did not put another runner on base until the top of the sixth inning, when Montes singled with one out.
The rally ended when Montes was caught stealing and a fly out by Garner.
Montes did not allow a hit until the fifth inning, when the Spartans’ David Hutchinson singled.
However, Spring Creek could not do anything with the base hit.
Spring Creek finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning when Riley Smith reached on an error. Following a fielders’ choice and walk, Ayden Harp drove in two runs with a single.
The Spartans scored their third run on a bases-loaded walk.
Boyles had two of Lowry’s four hits and Montes and Garner each had one.
Spring Creek 10, Lowry 2
Spring Creek grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the second, only to see Lowry tied the game in the top of the third inning.
Brendan Robinson was walked to lead off the inning and Anthony Guzman followed with a single.
After a wild pitch that moved the runners up as base, Montes doubled to left-centerfield to tie the game at 2-2.
The Spartans broke the contest open with six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to lead 8-2. Spring Creek had five hits in the frame and took advantage of a Lowry error.
Montes had two of Lowry’s three hits and drove in both runs. Guzman had the other hit and he scored a run.
Adam Brooks started for Lowry and took the loss in four innings of work. He allowed eight runs (three earned) on seven hits. He struck out five and walked two. Erick Bergenheier threw the final two innings and allowed two runs on three hits. He struck out two and walked two.
With just weeks left in the regular season, Lowry is fourth in the Northern 3A at 3-5 but is 3-3 in crossover games with the Northern 3A West.
Churchill County and Fernley are atop the Northern 3A East standings at 7-3 and Spring Creek (4-4) is third.
South Tahoe leads the Northern 3A West at 6-0, followed by Sparks (7-2), Truckee (4-2) and North Valleys (5-3).
The top six teams in the 12-team Northern 3A qualify for the Northern 3A Regional Championships in Winnemucca from May 12-14.
The top seed from the East and West get in followed by the four best records among the other 10 teams.
Lowry travels to Fallon this weekend to play Churchill County, starting Friday at 3 p.m. The two teams play a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.
