LAKEPORT — It was the battle of the assistant head coaches on Tuesday in Lakeport as the Lower Lake Trojans pounded the Clear Lake Cardinals 12-4 in a North Central League I interlock varsity baseball game at Clear Lake High School.
Charles Russ was filling in for Lower Lake head coach Chris Denny, who had to take a work-related day off in order to attend a training session. Clear Lake (10-7) also was without its head coach, Brian Figg, who was ejected in the Cardinals” 5-1 non-league loss to Tomales last week in Tomales (CIF rules called for an automatic one-game suspension). Figg did coach the following day in a league game against St. Helena before serving out the suspension against Lower Lake.
Assistant Adam Bruch filled in for the Cardinals.
Lower Lake (5-13) took control of the game early, scoring three times in the top of the second and then breaking the game open with a six-run third inning.
Lower Lake”s Joel Valenica smacked a two-run home run in the seventh inning for the Trojans” final runs and nearly had a grand slam in the top of the second, but his blast to right field was ruled a foul ball.
Winning pitcher Anthony Lucchesi worked the first four innings to pick up the victory and left the game with a 9-2 lead. He also had a good day at the plate, going 3-for-4. Valencia finished with three RBIs, including a sacrifice fly.
Noel McCormack went 2-for-4 with a RBI for the Cardinals and Nate Velez and James Robinson also had RBIs.
Clear Lake starter Zane Butler took the loss.
The Trojans suited up only 10 players and all of them had at least one hit.
