UKIAH — Brittany Rumfelt allowed only one hit — a bunt single — and struck out seven as the Clear Lake Cardinals shut out the St. Vincent Mustangs 6-0 in the winner s semifinal round of the Ukiah Softball Tournament on Saturday at Ukiah High School.
The victory put Clear Lake (6-1) into the championship game against Ukiah, but a heavy downpour right before the start of play forced the umpires to call it. The two teams are in the process of rescheduling the game, which will most likely take place next month.
With Clear Lake and St. Vincent set to meet on Wednesday in a North Central League I South contest at Lakeport, Saturday s game gave each team the opportunity to see what the other is all about. Rumfelt allowed only two baserunners, both in the first inning — on the bunt single and an error — and the Mustangs had runners at second and third with one out but couldn t score.
She struck out a batter and then got a flyball to center field, Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle said of Rumfelt s great escape.
Rumfelt and St. Vincent ace Shawna Hettrich, both juniors, traded zeroes until the top of the fourth inning when the Cardinals broke through with two runs — all the support Rumfelt would need.
Emilee Meyer (2-for-3) doubled against a drawn-in infield and outfield leading off the inning and Kaila Sterbank reached on a bunt single and stole second. Meyer raced home on Haley Sanderson s RBI groundout to second base as Sterbank advanced to third. Rumfelt (2-for-3) then helped her own cause with a run-scoring triple to the left-center field gap.
Clear Lake added two more runs in the fifth on Meyer s two-run triple. Julie Jackson doubled home two insurance runs in the top of the sixth to make it 6-0.
The game was called after six innings because of a tournament time rule.
