FORT BRAGG — Maybe the Fort Bragg Timberwolves thought the Clear Lake Cardinals would be a pushover. Wrong.
Brian Milhaupt threw five strong innings and hit a solo home run to power Clear Lake to a 9-7 win over Fort Bragg in the opening round of the Fort Bragg Tournament on Friday on the windy but sunny Mendocino Coast.
Winless entering the game, the Cardinals (1-4) finally got their offense on line, which combined with Milhaupt s pitching was more than enough.
We put some hits together … finally, Clear Lake coach Brian Figg said. And this was the first time we ve had more hits than strikeouts (in a game).
Clear Lake s starting lineup pounded out 12 hits and struck out only five times.
After watching Clear Lake jump out to a 2-0 lead with single runs in the second and third innings, Fort Bragg pushed ahead 3-2 with three runs in the bottom of the third. That lead lasted only until the Cardinals came to bat in the top of the fourth.
Milhaupt led off the inning with a single and Connor McCrea and Ricky Wood also singled to load the bases. Roman Rose then drew a walk to force in a run. One out later, J.J. Demanett also walked to make it 4-3 and the Cardinals would never relinquish the lead.
Clear Lake added three more runs in the fifth on a McCrea RBI single and a two-run double by Rose, who was 3-for-3 on the day with two doubles.
Fort Bragg closed to 7-4 in the bottom of the sixth, but Clear Lake tacked on what would be two very important insurance runs in the top of the seventh, including Milhaupt s home run. Those runs loomed large in the bottom of the seventh when the Timberwolves scored three times off reliever McCrea. Fort Bragg had the potential tying runs on base but catcher Nate Velez threw out a runner trying to steal second to end the game.
They were trying to get him (potential tying run) into scoring position, Figg said.
Milhaupt allowed only two hits, struck out seven and walked one during his five-inning stint. He allowed three runs, two earned.
Besides Rose and Milhaupt (2-for-3), Ricky Wood went 2-for-4 for the Cardinals, who play Piedmont today at 9 a.m. The Cardinals will play another game in the afternoon — either for third place or the championship depending on the outcome of their contest with Piedmont.
