Fallon’s Eric Cornejo connects with a pitch against Boulder City on Thursday.
Courtesy Aubrey Paul
The Greenwave baseball team’s bid to win its first Class 3A state title in a decade disappeared in the desert.
After winning the regional title over Truckee the previous week, Fallon dug itself into a hole in each of the state tournament games, falling to Boulder City, 9-8, in Thursday’s opener and The Meadows, 9-5, in Friday’s elimination game at Pahrump Valley High School.
Fallon ended the season 21-10-1.
The Greenwave couldn’t overcome a four-run first inning against The Meadows, last year’s state runner-up, as senior James Kelsey struggled on the hill after mowing down Lowry in last week’s nine-inning win.
After Fallon opened the game with an RBI groundout to lead 1-0, three of the first four Mustang batters walked, yielding a run before another walk broke a 1-1 tie, ending Kelsey’s time on the mound. With two outs and Tommy Ames pitching, a hit-by-pitch and walk with the bases loaded scored two more to give the Las Vegas school a three-run lead.
The Greenwave got a run back in the third when Kelsey hit a two-out single to center and then scored on Trevor Hyde’s line-drive double to left. Zach Adams reached on an error, putting runners on the corners, but Eric Cornejo grounded into a fielder’s choice for the final out.
The Meadows recovered the run in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out single before adding three more runs in the fourth. The Meadows loaded the bases on a hit by pitch and two walks before Mason Storm’s balk brought in a run. In the next at-bat, The Meadows scored on a passed ball and then on an infield error to lead 8-2.
The Meadows added its ninth run of the game on a sac fly in the fifth off Storm.
Fallon, though, started to come back in the sixth when Cornejo reached on an error and Anthony Juarez singled into right. Nathaniel Zackery singled on a 1-1 count to bring in Brenan Alves, who pinch-ran for Cornejo. Anthony Gonzalez popped out in foul territory for the second out before Kelsey lined out to left with the bases loaded after Chase Carnahan’s single.
Down 9-4 in the final inning, Adams, who pitched the final two innings, hit a one-out double to center and advanced to second on Cornejo’s walk. After Evan Giovanetti popped out to center, Juarez smacked the first pitch into right to bring in Carson Melendy, who pinch-ran for Cornejo, and Adams. Zackery flew out to center to end the game.
In Thursday’s opener, Boulder City broke a 2-2 tie with six runs in the fourth inning and another in the fifth before Fallon scored six in the last two frames.
After Boulder City led off the fourth with a double, four errors helped extend the inning and lead to the six runs.
After the double, the Eagles reached base on an error fielding a bunt before breaking the tie on a fielder's choice. Back-to-back errors led to another run before a bases-loaded walk gave Boulder City a 5-2 lead. The fourth error of the inning allowed the Eagles to score on a grounder before a sac fly and single capped off the scoring.
Fallon tried coming back when Carnahan doubled in a pair of runs and Kelsey doubled in one to cut the deficit to 9-5. With two outs, Giovanetti singled in Kelsey, but Hyde was thrown out at home.
In the seventh, Anthony Gonzalez doubled in Zackery, who doubled after Juarez led off with a walk. Boulder City retired the next three batters via groundout, strikeout and a popout to end the game.
Juarez took the loss on the hill, going 3.1 innings and allowing eight runs (two earned), while Storm (three innings) and Ames (0.2 innings) pitched in relief. Storm allowed one unearned run.
Gonzalez and Carnahan led the team at the plate with each tallying three hits, and Carnahan and Kelsey each drove in two.