Fallon brooms Mustangs

The Greenwave baseball and softball teams picked up another doubleheader sweep over the Division III portion of their league schedule as they prepare for a critical series this week.

The softball team won the first game against the Mustangs, 12-2, in Lovelock before recording a forfeit in the nightcap.

“The offense got going after a couple of innings,” Fallon coach Bill Archer said. “(Pershing County) stuck around. I’m pleased with the adjustments.”

Rileigh Ricken pitched all seven innings as she struck out eight and walked only one. Both runs were unearned as the Lady Wave couldn’t enforce the mercy rule with the final run coming in the seventh.

Fallon has won five in a row since dropping a 4-2 decision to Lowry in the Ruby Mountain crossover.

The Lady Wave, however, lost their star hitter, Danielle Rothery, in the following game against Spring Creek. Rothery will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury when she was trying to score against the Spartans.

But Archer said the timing of the injury could have been worse. Instead of facing Dayton and Fernley immediately, Fallon took on Division III opponents in consecutive weekends to help find a new groove with Rothery no longer behind the dish. Megan McCormick and Shelby Lawry have been sharing catching duties.

“That was the deal to see who needed to make adjustments,” Archer said. “The catching position is really important on the field. Those are real big shoes to fill.”

Rothery, though, is still hanging with the team and trying to help her backups excel and help the pitching staff.

“She will be missed. She’s still there supporting the team,” Archer added. “She’s on her crutches and she’s helping out.”

Against Pershing County, Fallon clubbed 19 hits in the game and had two players collect four hits and two tally three.

The Lady Wave also did not strike out as the team drew two walks and stole five times.

Cady Cordes punched four hits, including a home run, as she led the team with five RBIs. Ali Tedford also collected four hits as the sophomore drove in three, all on singles. Kalyn Huckaby and Ricken each had three hits with Huckaby driving in two runs and doubling once.

All but two players recorded a hit with Izzy Thomas picking up two hits, and Paige Thorne, Gabby Sharpe and Kaysee Archer each having one. Archer tripled in a run for her only hit on the day.

The baseball club scored 30 runs in two games against Pershing County on Saturday as Fallon won the first game, 11-0, and the second, 19-2, in Lovelock.

Nic Stenberg pitched all five innings in the first game, which was his first outing after becoming academically eligible. Tristan Salazar pitched the second game and also hit a home run.

“Nic did well,” Fallon coach Lester de Braga said. “He’s really filling the roll we were expecting him to fill and that’s not walking guys and throwing strikes.”

Dalton Frank and Clay Amezquita performed well at the plate as the offense is starting to explode after a lackluster beginning to the season. Bradley Williams hit a home run in the second game and Sage Orozco and Cody Long were strong as well.

“We had quite a few extra-base hits. The kids are hitting the ball real well,” de Braga said.

Both teams travel to Dayton today to begin the Division I-A portion of the Lahontan League schedule. The softball team then returns home on Thursday for a doubleheader (2 p.m. and 4 p.m.) because the Lady Wave will compete in the Reed tournament on Friday and Saturday.

“We have 10 games in five days,” Archer said. “The Reed tournament is one of those things you like to be in. It has stellar competition and is a good measure for the team prepping for playoffs.”

The baseball team, however, will entertain Dayton at 11 a.m. on Saturday in a doubleheader before facing Fernley and Yerington in the next two weeks.