Dayton softball splits

The Dayton High softball team won the second game of its doubleheader against Fernley to gain an important split in the race for second in the Northern 3A.

Fernley won the opener 4-2 and Dayton came back to win the nightcap 8-5. The highlight of the second game came when Dayton shortstop Amanda Sbragia turned a triple play in the fourth inning.

Dayton, Fernley and Lowry are in a battle for second place. Dayton and Fernley are tied in the loss column as the Vaqueros are 7-4 and Dayton is 6-4. Lowry had three losses coming into this weekend.

With runners at second and third and no outs in the fourth, Sbragia caught a line drive and tagged the runner off of second. The runner at third tagged and tried to score, but Sbragia threw to Michelle Bowman to complete the triple play.

"We just didn't hit the ball very well in the first game and we made too many errors," Dayton coach Dusti Houk said. "Winning the second game was important. They played a lot better the second game."

Greer was the winning pitcher in the nightcap, striking out six and walking one and was also 3-for-4 with three RBI.

Jesse Ayres had two hits, including a double, two runs and two RBI, Sbragia had two hits and a run, Lauren Fisher had a hit and two runs, Sara Simmons had two hits, Keeli Garcia had a hit and a run and Melony Cox added a hit for Dayton.

In the opener, Greer struck out five and walked none while giving up six hits. Sbragia had a hit and an RBI, Cox doubled and Fisher added a hit.