UPPER LAKE — Jordan Hickey pitched a five-hitter and Joey Ogulin delivered the key hit as the Upper Lake Cougars snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the St. Helena Saints in North Central League I varsity baseball action on Tuesday afternoon at Upper Lake.
It was the first league win for the Cougars (1-5 South, 8-12 overall) after five straight South losses, including an 11-3 setback at St. Helena back on April 20.
“Oh my God, that was a long time,” Upper Lake coach Joe Ogulin said of the Cougars” first win in almost a month. “We changed our lineup around a little bit and it seemed like that worked today.”
St. Helena (1-3 South) scored a run in the top of the fifth to forge a 2-2 tie, but Upper Lake regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning. With two runners on and two outs, Joey Ogulin lined an 0-2 pitch to left field to score both Josh Stuckert and Devin Collins, giving the Cougars a 4-2 advantage.
The Saints got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth to close to 4-3 but went quietly in the top of the seventh as Hickey retired the side to finish off his complete game.
“We still made too many mistakes,” Ogulin said of his team”s five errors, “but he (Hickey) didn”t get upset. He beared down and took care of business.”
In other baseball action Tuesday:
Willits 8, Middletown 6
At Middletown, Willits” David Mucke connected on his sixth home run of the season, a grand slam over the left-center field fence in the top of the fifth, to propel the Wolverines past the Middletown Mustangs in NCL I North action at Wes Martin Field.
Mucke”s slam gave Willits (3-1) a 5-2 lead that didn”t last very long. Middletown (2-4 North, 8-12 overall) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the inning to go back on top 6-5. Willits tied it with a run in the top of the sixth and pushed ahead with a two-run seventh.
Kelley McKinley went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs for Middletown. His solo shot in the bottom of the second tied the tied the game at 1. Justin Woodd went 2-for-3, scored twice and drove in a run.
Softball
St. Helena 11, Upper Lake 6
At Upper Lake, St. Helena scored nine times in the top of the third to open up an 11-0 lead and went on to beat the Upper Lake Cougars in NCL I South softball action. It was the seventh straight loss for the Cougars, who fell to 0-6 in league play and 7-10 overall.
Upper Lake managed to avoid the 10-run rule by scoring three runs in the fourth and three more in the seventh, when Caity Falge tripled home two runs and losing pitcher Erin Gatton singled home Falge.
Falge went 3-for-4 for the Cougars and Jessica Swaney went 1-for-4 with a double and a RBI.
Middletown 13, Willits 1
At Middletown, Julia Leathers led off the bottom of the first with a single and added a three-run home run later in the same inning as the Middletown Mustangs routed the Willits Wolverines in NCL I North action.
Middletown (4-2 North, 9-12) sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight times in the first. The Mustangs had a 13-0 lead after three innings.
Jacquie Tobin (3-for-3) added a solo home run in the bottom of the second, a drive to deep right field. It was her first official home run of the season although she had two others that were wiped out on appeal because she failed to touch all the bases.
Winning pitcher Jen Emberson held the Wolverines in check, allowing only three hits. She struck out three and walked two.
Fort Bragg 8, Kelseyville 1
At Fort Bragg, Courtney Doeding pitched a four-hitter, struck out six and walked one as the Fort Bragg Timberwolves beat the Kelseyville Knights to improve to 5-0 in the NCL I North standings. Kelseyville fell to 1-4 and 4-13 overall.
Leading 1-0, Fort Bragg broke the game open with a five-run fifth.
“They just overpowered us,” Kelseyville coach Greg Giusti said of Fort Bragg”s rally, which was fueled by four hits and two walks. “They”re a good team.”
Megan Andre, Casey Bowlin, Allyson Brown and Lauren Giusti had Kelseyville”s hits.
Andre scored the Knights” only run on a passed ball in the top of the sixth.
