Following a bye week in the schedule, the Lowry High School baseball team began a six-game road trip this past weekend in Spring Creek.
The Spartans entered the series as the Northern 3A East leader with just one loss on the season.
Spring Creek remained on top of the standings, winning all three games 9-2, 4-0 and 8-4. Lowry dropped to 0-9 in league play and 5-15 overall.
Adam Brooks
Spring Creek 9, Lowry 2
In the opening game of the series on Friday afternoon, Lowry was held to two hits, one each by Txema Bengochea and Erick Valencia.
The Spartans jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings, when Lowry closed the gap to 4-1 in the fourth inning after a steal od second base allowed Bengochea to score from third base. Bengochea scored the other run in the sixth inning after a passed ball.
Angus Boyles started for Lowry and suffered the loss in 4.1 innings of work. He allowed eight runs (five earned) on just three hits. He struck out nine and walked five.
Brayden Dennis
Spring Creek 4, Lowry 0
In the second game of Friday’s doubleheader, Lowry spaced out five hits but was not able to score. Spring Creek broke the scoreless tie with three runs in the fourth inning.
Brayden Dennis and Bengochea each singled with one out in the fifth inning but were left on base after the next two batters were retired.
The Buckaroos had another rally going in the sixth after singles by Jake Bauman and Boyles, only to see the Spartans get out of the inning with a 6-4-3 double play.
ReiCyan Grau threw the first five innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He walked five and struck out four. Bengochea pitched the final inning.
ReiCyan Grau
Spring Creek 8, Lowry 4
Lowry appeared poised to pull off the upset in the series finale, rallying to take a 4-3 lead after four innings of play.
Lowry tied the game in the top of the third inning after a double by Dennis scored Conner Peterson and a single from Zaq Growcock to score Dennis.
Lowry went in front 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI-single by Bauman to score Dennis.
That was all the scoring for the Buckaroos, as the Spartans turned two double plays in the final three innings.
Spring Creek took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Dennis led the Buckaroos with three hits and a pair of RBIs and Peterson and Growcock each had two hits.
Adam Brooks started for Lowry and was tagged with the loss in five innings of work.
He allowed six runs on 11 hits. He struck out three and walked three.
Lowry makes its final road trip of the season this weekend at Fallon with a three-game series against Churchill County starting Friday at 3 p.m.
The two squads play a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.