Lowry's Savannah Stoker hits a home run in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday against Churchill County.
Photo by Tony Erquiaga.
The battle for the top spot in the Northern 3A East was at stake this past weekend, as both the Lowry High School softball team and rival Churchill County entered the three-game series at 8-1 in league play.
After the weekend was over, the Greenwave took control of the Northern 3A East with three close wins over the Lady Bucks.
Churchill County won the opener 4-2 on Friday and won both games 7-4 on Saturday to improve to 11-1 in the Northern 3A East.
Lowry dropped to 8-4 in league play at 17-6 overall.
Churchill County 4, Lowry 2
In Friday’s opening game, Churchill County grabbed 1-0 lead in the first inning, as Lydia Bergman singled home Vernita Fillmore, who led off the game with a single.
The Greenwave went in front 2-0 in the fourth inning when Bergman scored off a Lowry error.
Churchill County took advantage of another Lowry error in the fifth inning to score a pair of runs to lead 4-0.
Lowry got two of those runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Savannah Stoker hit a two-run home run to score Jada Matheny, who led off the frame with a single. That proved to be all the offense for Lowry.
Stoker and Matheny each had two hots and Crisslyn Rodriguez had the other Lady Buckaroo hit.
Bree Dunckhorst took the loss in the circle allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits. She struck out seven and walked one.
Churchill County 7, Lowry 4
In Saturday’s opener, Churchill County grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning, as Bergman drove home Darci Owens and Fillmore. Lowry got two of those right back in the bottom of the second inning off a two-run home run by Stoker that also scored Shelbie Hoyt.
The rally continued in the first inning, as the Lady Bucks added two more runs off a double by Cambria Tisue to plate Megan Cook and Rodriguez to lead 4-2.
The lead was short-lived, as Bergman tied the game in the top of the third inning with a two-run homer of her own.
Churchill County took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth inning, including two off a double by Kiley Wallace.
Hoyt, Stoker and Tisue each had three hits for Lowry and Cook and Rodriguez had one apiece.
Dunckhorst suffered the loss in the circle, allowing seven runs on seven hits. She struck out three and walked five.
Lowry's Shelbie Hoyt throws out a Churchill County batter at first base.
Churchill County 7, Lowry 4
The series finale proved to be a version of home run derby with five homers in the game, including four from Churchill County.
The Greenwave scored a single run in the first inning and led 2-0 in the third inning after a home run by Janessa Bettencourt.
Lowry rallied for three runs in the fourth inning, as Stoker led off the frame with a solo homer to cur the deficit to 2-1.
The Lady Bucks took a 3-2 lead when Cook scored off a Churchill County error and single by Hoyt to score Tisue.
The Greenwave grabbed a 5-3 advantage in the fifth inning after a double by a Tuti Ames ands a two-run home run by Raygen Bartel.
Churchill County added back-to-back home runs from Bergman and Hutchings in the sixth inning push the lead to 7-3. Lowry got one run back in the seventh, as Hoyt led off with a double and scored but that was the end of the rally.
Hoyt and Stoker each had two hits for Lowry. Stoker suffered the loss in the circle, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Lowry traveled to South Tahoe on Tuesday and results were not available at press time.
Lowry closes out the regular season against Dayton, starting Friday at 3 p.m. The two teams play a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Churchill County has clinched the top seed in the 3A East and North Valleys has clinched the top spot in the West.
Both teams receive first-round byes in the Northern 3A Regional Championships at Wooster High School in Reno from May 11-13.
Lowry will be the No. 3 seed, with Elko, Fernley, Spring Creek and Dayton fighting for the last three spots.