Panthers upset Wave in doubleheader

Fallon’s seniors may want to replay Saturday’s doubleheader after the team honored them and their parents.

In what began as a joyous occasion on Senior Day turned into a disappointing doubleheader as North Valleys knocked Fallon out of a second-place tie with Spring Creek, winning the first game, 14-9, and then the second game, 8-3. The two losses sent the Wave to a third-place tie with Elko. Fallon won the first game on Friday, 14-1, in a game called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

The Spartans swept Sparks to claim sole possession of second with an 18-6 record. Fallon and Elko follow at 16-8, and North Valleys improved to 13-11, for sixth place.

Fallon plays at South Tahoe Friday for a single game and a doubleheader on Saturday. The Vikings are in fifth place, one-half game behind Fallon.

In uncharacteristic fashion, the Wave committed 11 errors in the doubleheader to help the Panthers win on the road. In the first game, North Valleys broke open a 2-1 lead with eight runs in the third inning off Fallon pitcher Hayden Strasdin, who, until the doubleheader, had been sharp in his pitching starts. A week ago, he handcuffed Spring Creek in a 6-1 road win.

Bradley Cappini led off the inning by reaching first on an infield throwing error and advanced to second. After that, it was all North Valleys as Dylan Hyde singled in a run, and Jace Miller drilled a two double for a 5-1 lead. Miller later scored on an error as did Austin Copenhaver.

Cappini, batting for the second time, hit a two-run double, and pitcher Amann Bassi singled in a run.

Fallon scored three runs in the bottom of the inning on singles from Brenden Larsen and Brandon Rehkop and a sacrifice fly from Strasdin.

Edgar Alvarado doubled in a run in the fifth inning to slice the Panthers’ lead to half, 10-5.

Over the next three innings, North Valleys scored four runs, and Fallon’s Tommy McCormick singled home a run, and Chase Irvin ripped an RBI double for the Greenwave’s final run.

After the Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the second game of the doubleheader, Fallon responded with three runs. Shaw Lee’s single loaded the bases, and Reile Cole’s grounder that was mishandled in the infield tied the game. Larsen then smacked a two-run double.

The Panthers took advantage of a passed ball, an error and two hits to score three runs in the third off Lee and then added four more runs in the fourth inning. Noah Higashi tied the game on a fielder’s choice before the go-ahead run crossed the plate on an error.

Cappini doubled home a run in the fourth and Parry singled in another. Gavin Hawkinson, though, deliverd a big blow with a two-run single in helping Grassi pick up the win.

Alvarado set the tone against the Panthers in Friday’s 14-1 win, smacking a two-run home run in the first inning on a picture-perfect afternoon at the Edward Arciniega Athletic Complex.

Fallon scored five more runs. Strasdin tripled in a run followed by Nate Galusha’s RBI hit. Brock Richardson stepped up to single in two runs, and Sean McCormick ended the scoring with an RBI double.

Fallon added three runs in the third on Galusha’s double, Sean McCormick’s sacrifice fly and Tommy McCormick’s grounder.

Lee got Fallon rolling in the fourth inning by legging out a double and sliding head first at second. The Wave loaded the bases before Chase Irvin drilled a hard double to score three runs. Sean McCormick’s single scored Irvin.

Brenden Larsen earned the win, giving up a run in the first inning after working out of a jam and scattering six hits. He walked two and fanned two.