LOWER LAKE — The Lower Lake Trojans were alive and kicking through 5 2/3 innings against the Healdsburg Greyhounds on Wednesday afternoon in Lower Lake.
“Then the roof caved in,” Lower Lake coach Chris Denny said.
Healdsburg, leading 6-2 entering the top of the sixth, scored 10 runs after two were out and went on to beat the Trojans 20-5 in a non-league varsity baseball game.
“If we can play seven innings as well as we played the first five against Healdsburg, we”ll go 2-1 this week,” Denny said with an eye toward Lower Lake”s North Central League I interlock game on Friday at Cloverdale.
Lower Lake began the week with a 9-8 win over Upper Lake and Denny was hoping to gain at least a split against Healdsburg/Cloverdale to complete a winning week.
A throwing error with two outs and Healdsburg runners at first and third paved the way for the Greyhounds” double-digit scoring explosion in the sixth. Four batters during a stretch of five reached on errors as the inning quickly got out of hand.
Lower Lake starting pitcher Jonathan Haws, who walked only one in 5 2/3 innings, could only look on as his defense fell apart.
“I feel bad for him,” Denny said of Haws, who was making his first varsity start. “He did everything I could have asked of him. The worst he should have come out of that game with is a 6-2 complete-game loss.”
Healdsburg took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second and Lower Lake (3-4) closed to 3-2 in the bottom of the third. The Greyhounds tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth for a 6-2 advantage.
Albert Collins went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to spark Lower Lake and Jake Sanders went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI.
In other action Wednes-day:
Middletown 9, Calistoga 1
At Middletown, it wasn”t a repeat of their 35-0 laugher back on March 15 in Calistoga, but the Middletown Mustangs beat the Wildcats again, this time at Wes Martin Field in a non-league contest.
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak as the Mustangs improved to 3-7.
“It”s nice to get a W,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said. “They (Wildcats) played a lot better defense this time, which helped keep the score down.”
Middletown sophomore starting pitcher Eric Tomko tossed a two-hitter, struck out 11 and didn”t walk a batter.
“Tomko, he was a strike machine,” Tucker said. “He didn”t walk a batter. I don”t care what level you play at, that”s impressive.”
Jacky Crachiola went 3-for-5 before exiting the game with a twisted ankle. His status for the Mustangs” home game against Clear Lake on Friday is up in the air.
“I hope he”s OK,” Tucker said. “He”s one of our best players.”
Travis Taylor went 1-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. His two-run double during the Mustangs” three-run third gave Middletown a 5-0 lead.
“That kind of broke it open,” Tucker said of Taylor”s hit.
Kelley McKinley went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for Middletown and Tony Zagajowski went 2-for-2 with a double, RBI and two runs.
After the Clear Lake game on Friday, the Mustangs don”t return to action until April 12-14 when they take part in the Winters Tournament.
