Fernley gets lucky

QUINCY, Calif. - Even Fernley High School baseball coach James Huckaby had to admit that all the breaks went the Vaqueros' way during Fernley's 7-6 win over Quincy in the first game of the teams' non-league doubleheader on Saturday.

The Vaqueros didn't need any breaks in the second game, as Fernley trounced Quincy 22-5 for the sweep.

As Huckaby explained, Fernley trailed Quincy 6-1 with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning. An infield pop fly by the Vaqueros was apparently going to end the game, but Quincy made one of its two errors in the game and dropped the ball to give Fernley a run and one more chance to extend the game.

Matt Lambeth then took advantage of the situation and slugged a grand slam to tie the game 6-6.

In the eighth, the Vaqueros took the lead when Ryan Ferris singled and was driven in by a Tyler Selden double.

With Selden pitching in the bottom of the eighth and two outs, Brian Reeder made the defensive play of the game for Fernley, catching a potential game-tying homer three feet above the outfield fence.

In the second game, Fernley scored 17 runs in the first three innings to give Lambeth plenty of offensive help for the pitching victory. Ten Vaqueros players recorded RBIs during the offensive outburst.

The two Quincy losses were only the second and third of the year for the club, now 15-3.

Fernley (20-6) will host Hawthorne on Tuesday at 3 p.m.