KELSEYVILLE — The Healdsburg Greyhounds ran circles around the Kelseyville Indians on Thursday, winning 7-0 in a non-league varsity baseball game at Lloyd Larson Field in Kelseyville.
“They”re a solid team,” Kelseyville coach Steve Olson said of the 16-7 Greyhounds, who are one of the top teams in the Sonoma County League this season. “It”s good for us to see teams like that.”
Kelseyville (12-6) closes out its regular-season schedule today at home against the Middletown Mustangs. The North Central League I North game is a big one to be sure as the Indians (6-1), who already have clinched a tie for the league title, need a win against Middletown (5-2) to wrap up an automatic berth in next week”s North Coast Section Class A playoffs.
If Middletown wins, the Mustangs not only will be North co-champs along with the Indians, but will earn the automatic berth by virtue of a number-draw tiebreaker held before the start of the season. Kelseyville could still reach the playoffs but would have to apply for an at-large berth.
Against the Greyhounds, Kelseyville fell behind 4-0 in the top of the second.
“(Kyle) Poloni actually pitched a better game that it looks to be on paper,” Olson said of his starting pitcher, who took the loss. “Some of the hits he gave up in that four-run inning we might have caught on another day.”
Poloni worked the first five innings, striking out two and walking four.
Healdsburg padded its lead with single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.
Kelseyville”s best chance to break through against Healdsburg came in the bottom of the first when both Poloni and Olson (2-for-3) singled. They were at second and third with two outs when Scott Krohn smacked a line drive headed to right field.
“Their second baseman jumped up and caught it in the webbing of his glove,” Olson said.
Mike Brown and junior varsity call-up Scott Luis also had hits for the Indians. Luis, making his varsity debut, went 1-for-1.
