Extra Inning Upset

The Truckee High varsity softball team dropped all three games against league foe Fernley High School on Friday and Saturday, by scores of 6-2, 5-3 and 10-4, dropping the Wolverines to 3-15 in league on the season.Saturday's first game of the double-header was a hard-fought, nine-inning affair that both teams wanted to win.Fernley took the initial lead in the first with a run. In the second, Truckee's Heather Fisher hit a triple to left, and scored a few pitches later on a passed ball.In the third, Amber Davy singled to center and scored on a Kaycie Jones hit and a Vaquero error, as the Wolverines took a 2-1 lead. Fernley tied the score at two in the fifth and took a one-run lead in the top of the seventh.A key play to keep the Vaqueros from extending their lead was a Truckee 9-5-6 double play. Right fielder Ashley McKechnie caught a fly-out and threw to third to make a play on the Vaquero runner coming from third. After the runner slid in safely, the Truckee coaching staff alertly instructed third-baseman Krysta Murphy to throw back to second and appeal that the runner left early. After a dramatic delay, the umpire called the runner out.Down 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Natalya Jones singled to right and scored after singles by Kaycie Jones and Rachel Zissimos to tie the game and force extra innings.After a scoreless eighth, Fernley scored two runs in the ninth on a 2-RBI double to earn the 5-3 victory.Heather Fisher led Truckee at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Amber Davy and Kaycie Jones also had two hits, while Natalya Jones, Rachel Zissimos, Ashley McKechnie and Krysta Murphy each had one.Zissimos threw all nine innings, allowing five runs on eleven hits and two walks while striking out three.Game two saw Fernley take a 4-1 lead after two and never look back in their 10-4 victory. Zissimos lead Truckee at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double. Kelsi Decker was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and Jessie Jensen reached base all three times with a single and two walks. Tracy Pearson, Amber Davy and Kaycie Jones each added a double.The Wolverines end the regular season with a 3-15 league record, which is one game ahead of Sparks in the win column for the sixth and final playoff spot. As of press time, Sparks had seven league games to be played and recorded, as they finish their regular season next weekend. One win would likely put the Railroaders in the playoffs, as they took the season series with the Wolverines 2-1.