Going into the final weekend of the season, the Lowry High School baseball team knew it was out of postseason contention. However, the Buckaroos still had an opportunity to shake up the final standings and who made the postseason.
Lowry just about did that but dropped three games to Dayton at home this past Thursday and Friday.
The Dust Devils won 16-7 on Thursday and swept a doubleheader on Friday 17-12 in eight innings and 10-8 in the finale.
The Buckaroos finished the year 6-19 and 3-12 in the Northern 3A East.
Dayton 16,
Lowry 7
Dayton came into the series needing to sweep to have any chance at the postseason. The Dust Devils got off to a quick start on Thursday and led 5-0 in the third inning.
Lowry rallied for three runs in the bottom of the third, as Zach Fernandez and Kaiden Boyles singled with one out.
After a walk to Marcus Montes and a fielder’s choice to Brayden Dennis, Jordan Bills singled to cut the gap to 5-3.
Dayton extended the advantage to 13-4 in the sixth when Lowry scored twice in the bottom of the sixth after a single by Erick Bergenheier, a walk by Fernandez and a single by Boyles. However, the rally fell short.
Bergenheier, Fernandez, Boyles and Bills each had two hits. Boyles and Dennis each had two RBI.
Joseph Garcia led off the game with a single and Montes and Kasyn Garner each had a hit.
Boyles started for Lowry and suffered the loss in 5.1 innings of work, he allowed 11 runs (three earned) on seven hits. He struck out six.
Dayton 17,
Lowry 12
Dayton almost saw its postseason end with a huge collapse in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Dust Devils led 12-4 entering the seventh but left the frame tied at 11-11.
With a new Dayton pitcher in, ReiCyan led off with a walk and Fernandez followed with a single. Dennis, Boyles and Montes were all hit by pitches in order and Bills walked. The walk to Bills closed the gap to 11-7.
After the first out, Kasyn Garner singled to score Boyles and Montes then plated the ninth run on a wild pitch.
Grau came back to the plate for the second time in the inning and doubled home Bills and Garner to tie the game at 11.
Lowry left the bases loaded in the inning.
Dayton regrouped and came back with six runs in the top of the eight to keep its season alive. A Dust Devils’ loss would have ended any postseason hopes.
Montes was the loine Buckaroo with two hits, while Fernandez, Dennis, Boyles, Adam Brooks, Kasyn Garner, Bergenheier, Brendan Robinson and Grau each had one hit
Brooks started and received a no-decision in 6.2 innings of work. Kayd Garner, Bergenheier, Dennis and Bills all thew in relief.
Bergenheier suffered the loss.
Dayton 10,
Lowry 8
Lowry put Dayton in playoff extinction one more time leading 5-1 after an inning. Dennis, Bergenheier, Kasyn Garner and Grau all had singles in the five run first inning.
However, Dayton came back with five runs in the third and one more in the fourth to lead 7-5.
Lowry rallied one last time with three runs in the fourth inning behind singles from Montes and Bills and a double by Bergenheier.
Dayton tied the game in the sixth and scored the two go-ahead runs in the seventh to hold on for the win.
Dennis, Montes, Bergenheier and Kasyn Garner each had two hits.
Fernandez started and received a no-decision. A.J. Mendoza, Bergenheier and Kayd Garner threw in relief. Bergenheier suffered the loss.
It was the final series and games for seniors Zach Fernandez, Joseph Garcia, Kaiden Boyles, Brendan Robinson and Ismael Magana.
