WILLITS — The Willits Wolverines scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings and went on to beat the Lower Lake Trojans 12-11 in nine innings Thursday during a North Central League I North softball game in Willits.
Kamie Mederos went 4-for-5 for the Trojans (1-4 North, 2-17 overall) and freshman shortstop Mirella Valencia helped turn two 6-4-3 double plays, one with the bases loaded, to pull Lower Lake out of a couple of dicey situations.
“My two freshmen really had a game,” Lower Lake coach Joe Parker said of Valencia, who also went 1-for-3 with a RBI, and Alicia Barnard, who went 2-for-4 with a double.
Willits did most of its damage with a nine-run second inning against Lower Lake starter Katie Munchto go up 9-5. The Trojans had an 11-9 lead going to the bottom of the fifth, but the Wolverines came back to tie the game with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.
Mederos pitched seven innings in relief of Munch and took the loss. She struck out six and walked six.
In other action Thursday:
Baseball
Willits 9, Lower Lake 0
At Willits, Heath Sagan tossed a four-hit shutout and struck out 11 as the Willits Wolverines blanked the Lower Lake Trojans in NCL I North baseball action.
“We ran into a buzz saw,” Lower Lake coach Chris Denny said. “That guy threw real well against us.”
Willits (4-1) led 7-0 after two innings.
Steven Miller went 2-for-3 and Kevin Jefferson went 1-for-3 with a double as Lower Lake slipped to 1-4 in league play and 5-14 overall.
Jonathan Haws took the loss, lasting 3 1/3 innings and allowing all nine runs.
