Playoff implications abound as North Tahoe nears season end
Courtesy of Bill Rozak / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The North Tahoe baseball team will be in a fight for postseason positioning this weekend, and will be playing in what will be the closest thing to a home game for the team this season.
With North Tahoe’s field still unplayable from last winter’s snowfall, the Lakers will take on West Wendover for a pivotal three-game series at Truckee River Regional Park, beginning with a doubleheader on Friday.
Currently, the Lakers sit in the fourth and final seed with a league record of 8-7 going into next week’s Class 2A Northern League tournament in Yerington.
West Wendover is in third place in the league standings with a record of 11-7. The Lakers could claim sole possession of third place with a sweep of the Wolverines, while a pair of victories for West Wendover would lock up the three seed ahead of the league tournament.
The Lakers will enter the series after dropping two of three games last week. Following a 19-0 defeat to Incline in the first of a doubleheader last Tuesday, North Tahoe bounced back to hand the Highlanders a 15-5 loss in the second game. Senior Koby Mattson led the way during the game going 4 for 4 at the plate with eight RBIs, a double and a home run. Senior Danny Sandoval hit a pair of doubles for the Lakers and drove in a run as part of three hits during the game. Freshman Tanner Wilkins had a pair of hits and drove in a run. Sophomore Nathan Whisler hit a double.
From the mound senior Danny Sandoval picked up the win, allowing one earned run and five hits, while striking out three batters during five innings of work.
The Lakers then traveled to face league leaders Yerington last Thursday and were topped 13-3 via the 10-run rule after six innings of play. Mattson and Whisler had the only two hits of the game for North Tahoe.
The Lakers will now look to lock up either the three or four seed going into the postseason tournament. With Battle Mountain still in the mix at 10-10, and a season-ending three-game series against White Pine (9-14, 7-11 Northern League) scheduled for Monday, North Tahoe still has work to do to seal a playoff berth.
The Lakers will take to the field in Truckee for the first of a doubleheader on Friday at noon.
Justin Scacco is a reporter for the Sierra Sun. Contact him at jscacco@sierrasun.com.
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