LAKEPORT — Brittany Rumfelt provided one belt even if two of her teammates forgot theirs during Clear Lake”s 2-0 non-league softball win over the Maria Carrillo Pumas on Friday afternoon in Lakeport.
Rumfelt spoiled Maria Carrillo”s 2007 opener by tossing a three-hit shutout and striking out 12. The hard-throwing left-hander also provided the only offense she would need to improve to 2-0 on the season by homering to straightaway center field leading off the bottom of the second inning, a towering blast that left no doubt from the moment it left the bat.
Losing pitcher Tess Granath, who also pitched a three-hitter, appeared to be a bit unnerved by the home run and promptly plunked Haley Sanderson with a pitch. Candy Diener then reached on a bunt single and Sanderson stole third with one out to put runners at the corners for Jen Carley, who grounded a ball to the right side to chase home Sanderson.
While Rumfelt”s home run most certainly brought a smile to Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle”s face, the manufactured second run delighted him even more.
“The way we scrapped that run out, that”s something you like to see,” Pickle said. “The second run gives you some breathing room. Without that extra run, you make one mistake and it”s tied up.”
That Carley was able to ground the ball to the perfect place in the infield — right at the second baseman — left Maria Carrillo”s Haley Mills with only one play as she threw out Carley while the speedy Sanderson easily scored.
Sporting a broken finger on her throwing hand, Carley, the Cardinals” third baseman, almost didn”t play Friday.
“It was a game-time decision,” Pickle said. “She hit the ground ball when we needed it and Haley stole a base on her own. Those were two heads-up plays by our seniors.”
While Clear Lake didn”t mount any other major scoring threats against Granath, who struck out six and walked four, including Rumfelt twice after her home run, the Pumas did put runners at second and third twice in the game, both times with two outs.
In the top of the second, Rumfelt worked out of trouble by striking out Maria Carrillo”s Alexis Wright. And in the top of the fourth, after a double by Lynsey Keith put runners at second and third, Rumfelt again buckled down, striking out Katie Hansen on a 1-2 changeup.
Though limited to three hits, the Cardinals swung the bat better as the game progressed, something that didn”t escape Pickle”s attention.
“I”m real happy with the adjustments we made as the game progressed,” Pickle said. “We”ve been working on our timing this week in practice. It”s a good group of girls and they work hard on the things that they need to.”
While the Cardinals didn”t commit a physical error, two of the team”s fastest freshmen committed a mental one in the top of the fifth inning after Rumfelt drew a two-out walk. Pickle had planned to use a pinch-runner off the bench but neither of the players he wanted to use in that situation were wearing their belts, so he left Rumfelt at first. Sanderson followed with a single, sending Rumfelt to second, and Diener hit a flyball to medium-deep center field to end the inning, so the belt debacle didn”t cost the Cardinals a run.
“It”s a team rule,” Pickle said. “I give them a complete uniform and I expect them to wear a complete uniform. I don”t want that mistake happening again and I don”t think it will.”
Keith had two of Maria Carrillo”s three hits and she also made a fine catch in the bottom of the first, tracking down a foul ball off the bat of Emilee Meyer with her back to homeplate.
It was one of two defensive gems by the Pumas. The other came in the bottom of the third when second baseman Mills made a diving stop on a grounder off the bat of Julie Jackson that was headed for right field. Mills threw out Jackson while lying on her belly for the second out of the inning.
Clear Lake (2-0) returns to action Wednesday in Napa against Justin-Siena at 4 p.m.
