Fernley softball is eliminated

A successful season for the Fernley softball team came to a disappointing end on Friday when the Vaqueros lost two games to be eliminated from the NIAA/U.S. Bank 3A State Championships in Mesquite.

Fernley lost to Manogue 4-1 and then was eliminated in a 5-1 loss against Truckee. The Vaqueros had beaten Truckee 2-1 on Thursday, but ended up losing four of six games to Truckee this season. The Vaqueros had also swept both previous games with Manogue before losing to the Miners on Friday.

"We didn't play our best," Fernley coach Diane Chapin said. "We didn't hit very much. We got hits here and there. We didn't have a good weekend."

Christina Thomas went the distance for Fernley in both games and also went the distance in Thursday's win against Truckee.

"She threw the ball hard like she always does," Chapin said. "We made some mistakes that cost us."

Thomas allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out 10 and walking none against Manogue. But with Manogue clinging to a 2-1 lead, two of the earned runs came on passed balls in the seventh inning.

Manogue took a 1-0 lead in the first on a double and a single. An error helped Manogue take a 2-0 lead in the third.

The Vaqueros cut the lead to 2-1 in the fifth when Amanda Renslow doubled and scored on Hillary Wortman's sacrafice fly.

Renslow doubled twice, Thomas had two hits and Walita Cuerta and C.J. Andrews each added hits for Fernley.

The Vaqueros could only must two hits against Truckee, which jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first on the strength of a two-run home run and a double. Thomas settled down after that, but Truckee scored two unearned runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead.

Fernley scored in the seventh when Thomas singled and scored. Rebekah Freeman had the Vaqueros' other hit.

Despite the disappointing ending, it was still a successful year in which Fernley went on an 11-game win streak to win the Northern 3A league and zone titles. The Vaqueros also only lose four seniors, including Thomas.