Fallon's Nate Galusha applies the tag late as umpire Jack Beach calls Fernley safe on Tuesday.
The Greenwave won its sixth Northern 3A game in seven tries Tuesday behind the pitching of right-hander Hayden Strasdin.
The Fallon junior allowed a run and struck out seven as the Wave, 6-5-1 overall and 6-1 in league, stopped the Vaqueros, 6-1, at Fernley. Strasdin ran into minor problems in the first inning when Ryan Harer drove in a run to tie the game, but after that, the Wave scored five unanswered runs.
Fallon will need solid pitching this weekend, though, when Truckee comes to town. The Wolverines are 9-2 overall and 5-1 in league and swept Fernley in three games last weekend, 8-6, 12-2 and 5-4 in eight innings.
Fallon coach Lester de Braga said Truckee is a tough team that hits well. The Wave opens the series at 3 pm. Friday at the Edward Arciniega Athletic Complex and then in a Saturday doubleheaders at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
“Our pitching will be crucial,” de Braga said. “We need to keep the ball down. I’m looking forward to playing them.”
According to de Braga, Truckee packs a little more power than South Tahoe, which dropped two games to Fallon.
“No matter what you throw and do, they’re scrappy,” he said of the Wolverines.
Fernley pitcher Mason Timbrook pitched scoreless ball for the next two inning until he surrendered a run in the top of the fourth.
Tommy McCormick led off the inning and was safe on a Fernley error. An error at third base on Chase Irvin’s grounder resulted in McCormick scoring Fallon’s second run
Edgardo Alvarado, who gave South Tahoe fits when Fallon played the Vikings last weekend, doubled to centerfield with one out to put runners on second and third.
Two wild pitches later resulted in two runs to give Fallon a 4-1 lead.
Alvarado, whose batting average is at .667, also tripled.
“He’s seeing the ball well, sees his pitch,” de Braga said. “He’s coming around in the lineup.”
The Wave added two more runs in the seventh. A dropped third strike resulted in Sean McCormick reaching first base, and Shaw Lee then tagged an RBI double. Nate Galusha’s grounder scored Lee.
De Braga said Strasdin pitched the entire game giving up six hits.
“He pitched well and kept their batters off-balance,” de Braga pointed out.
The Fallon coach also had high praise for his defense, which he said played one of its best games of the season.
