It was a roller coaster of a weekend for the Lowry High School baseball team, who made its home debut this past weekend.
The Buckaroos hosted North Valleys on Friday and built a 5-0 lead after four innings, but saw that advantage disappear and turn into a 6-5 loss.
Lowry bounced back on Saturday to beat Hug 16-0 in a combined no-hitter. With the split, Lowry is 3-1 in league play and 3-5 overall.
In the loss to North Valleys, Lowry grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, as Brayden Robinson led off the frame by reaching on an error. Erick Bergenheier followed with a single and both advanced a base after a ground out by Kasyn Garner.
Robinson scored the first run on a passed ball and Bergenheier plated the second run off a single by Anthony Guzman.
Robinson added an RBI-single in the third inning, knocking in Jordan Bills to give Lowry a 3-0 advantage. The Buckaroos plated two more runs in the fourth inning to increase the lead to 5-0 on the strength of base hits by Guzman and Kaiden Boyles and walks to Zach Fernandez, Marcus Montes and Robinson.
After picking up just one hit through four innings, North Valleys finally broke through with five runs in the fifth inning to tie the game.
The Panthers took the lead for good in the sixth inning after putting three consecutive singles together.
After seeing the first two batters get out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Lowry loaded the bases, as Brayden Dennis walked, Bergenheier singled and Garner was hit by a pitch.
However, the Panthers got out of the inning with a dropped third strike and the North Valleys’ catcher stepped on the plate for the third out.
Lowry had the tying run I base in the seventh inning, but the game ended with a pair of strikeouts.
Bergenheier and Guzman had two hits apiece for the Buckaroos, who finished with seven on the day. Bills, Boyles and Robinson had one hit apiece.
Montes started for Lowry and gave up five runs on three hits in 4.32 innings of work. He struck out eight and walked four. Boyles threw the final 2.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits. He struck out three and walked none.
Lowry 16,
Hug 0
It was a much different story on Saturday afternoon, as Lowry needed just three innings to beat Hug 16-0 in a mercy-rule victory. Dennis and ReiCyan Grau combined on a no-hitter.
Dennis threw the first two innings and struck out five of the six batters he faced. Dennis allowed one walk. The only play in the field for Dennis was a lead-off ground ball to second base to start the game.
Grau struck out two and walked one in his lone inning on the mound. The final play of the game was a fly ball to centerfield.
Lowry scored six runs in the first inning, including a two-RBI double by Boyles that scored Fernandez and Montes. Dennis and Fernandez also added RBI-singles, as Lowry sent 12 batters to the plate in the opening inning.
The Buckaroos added 10 runs in the second inning to put the game out of reach and end the contest on the 15-run mercy rule.
Robinson and Bills each had two hits and Fernandez, Montes, Boyles, Dennis and Adam Brooks each had one hit.
Lowry is back home this weekend to finish up crossover play with the Northern 3A West. Truckee visits Winnemucca on Friday for a 3 p.m. first pitch. Lowry takes on South Tahoe on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Lowry begins Northern 3A East play in Elko on April 1-2.
