LOWER LAKE — Coming from behind is becoming a way of life for the Clear Lake High School varsity baseball team.
After falling 11-9 to St. Vincent on Tuesday, a game in which the Cardinals trailed 10-1 at one point, they spotted the Lower Lake Trojans a 6-0 lead on Friday in a North Central League I interlock contest at Lower Lake.
But this time the story had a happier ending for Clear Lake, which rallied to tie the game with a run in the top of the seventh before going on to beat the Trojans 11-10 in a nine-inning thriller.
Noel McCormack scored on a two-out wild pitch in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 6-6 and force extra innings. The Cardinals (7-5) surged ahead 10-6 in the top of the eighth only to watch the Trojans (4-10) tie the game with four runs in the bottom of the inning. In fact, Lower Lake scored all four runs after two were out and the bases empty.
Clear Lake broke the 10-10 in the top of the ninth when Connor McCrea, who was on the bench when the game began, singled home Ryan Dixon with the go-ahead run.
Lower Lake got its lead-off batter aboard in the bottom of the ninth when Kevin Freeman singled, but he never advanced past first as winning pitcher Freddy Olloqui retired the next three batters in order, two on strikeouts.
“We”re seeing it all the last couple of games,” Clear Lake coach Brian Figg said of the Cardinals” eventful week. “The kids are getting a lot of baseball in.”
“To Clear Lake”s credit they fought back and never gave up,” Lower Lake coach Chris Denny said.
Lower Lake scored six times in the bottom of the third to go up 6-0. Clear Lake closed to 6-4 in the top of the fifth, then scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to get back even.
McCrea (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), Nate Velez (2-for-5, 2B, RBI) and Olloqui (2-for-3, RBI) sparked the Cardinals.
Jake Sanders and Albert Collins each drove in two runs for the Trojans.
In other baseball action Tuesday:
St. Helena 11, Upper Lake 3
At St. Helena, the St. Helena Saints scored four times in the bottom of the first and never looked back, beating the Upper Lake Cougars in NCL I South action.
St. Helena squared its league record at 1-1 while Upper Lake fell to 0-2 and 7-8 overall.
Kieron McCarthy went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Cougars and Jordan Hickey went 1-for-3 with a RBI.
Willits 5, Middletown 4
At Willits, the Middle-town Mustangs rallied to tie the game with two runs in the top of the seventh, but the Willits Wolverines scored in the bottom of the eighth to win the extra-inning NCL I contest.
Middletown (0-2 North, 5-10) was one out away from a 4-2 loss in the top of the seventh when back-to-back RBI hits by Jake Strickler, who doubled, and Kelley McKinley, who singled, got the Mustangs back even.
Willits scored on a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to win it.
“My seniors had clutch hits to drive in runs,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said of Strickler and McKinley. “And (sophomore) Eric Tomko made a great play at second base and drove in a run in the sixth.”
Fort Bragg 4, Kelseyville 1
At Kelseyville, the Kelseyville Knights managed just three hits, two of them by Luis Martinez, and fell to Fort Bragg in NCL I North action.
It was the league opener for Kelseyville (1-1, 5-8). Fort Bragg improved to 2-0 in the North standings.
Kelseyville trailed 2-0 going to the bottom of the fourth. Martinez led off the inning with a double and came around to score on a single by Joe Gatlyn. It remained a 2-1 game until the top of the seventh when the Timberwolves tacked on two insurance runs.
Mike Duman pitched all seven innings for Kelseyville.
Softball
Fort Bragg 7, Kelseyville 2
At Kelseyville, Courtney Doeding tossed a four-hitter as Fort Bragg beat the Kelseyville Knights in NCL I North action.
It was the league opener for Kelseyville (0-1, 3-9). The Timberwolves improved to 2-0 in the North standings.
“We haven”t played in two weeks and we were tight,” Kelseyville coach Greg Giusti said. “We hit the ball well, but we couldn”t buy a break.”
Kelseyville committed two costly errors that led to four Fort Bragg runs.
“It should have been a 3-2 game,” Giusti said.
Losing pitcher Casey Bowlin went the distance for the Knights, striking out six and walking two. Doeding struck out eight and walked one.
Jessica Johnson went 1-for-3 with a double for the Knights.
St. Helena 10, Upper Lake 0
At St. Helena, Arica Covey pitched a no-hitter as the St. Helena Saints shut out the Upper Lake Cougars in NCL I South action. The game was called after innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Covey struck out nine and walked one.
Upper Lake (0-2 South, 7-6 overall) had a runner at third base with one out in the top of the third but couldn”t score.
JV baseball
Clear Lake 17, Lower Lake 2
At Lakeport, Ryan Richardson went 5-for-5 with a double and three RBIs to power the Clear Lake Cardinals in a junior varsity baseball win over the Lower Lake Trojans.
Winning pitcher Aaron Marshall worked the first five innings, allowing three hits, striking out five and walking two.
Clear Lake 14-4 overall.
Willits 3, M”town 2
At Willits, the Willits Wolverines scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the third and that was enough to beat the Middletown Mustangs in NCL I North play.
Kyle Harmyk went 2-for-3 and scored both of the Mustangs” runs. Daniel Sallee went 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Middletown starter Dylan Galusha faced only 27 batters but still got the loss. He struck out five.
John Hayes, Middletown”s catcher, picked off two runners at third base to help keep the game close.
The Mustangs are 0-2 in league and 7-6 overall.
