KELSEYVILLE — Playing their final non-league game of the 2007 season, the Kelseyville Knights shook up their lineup and let a handful of freshmen get their feet wet on Monday in an 11-3 softball loss to the Geyserville Bronchos and ace pitcher Vanessa Flores.
“It was a chance to give our young players some playing time,” Kelseyville coach Greg Giusti said.
The Knights plan to go back to the regular lineup both today and Thursday when they close out their North Central League I North campaign against Lower Lake and Middletown. At 2-4 in league play, Kelseyville (5-14 overall) would like nothing better than to finish .500 in the North standings.
“We want to finish strong,” Giusti said. “But today we wanted to get a look at the youngsters and see what they could do.”
Freshman Jillian Allen got the start on the mound and went the distance, striking out three and walking one.
“She”s learning where she has to get to be competitive at this level,” Giusti said of Allen, who allowed 12 hits.
Geyserville staked winning pitcher Vanessa Flores to a 3-0 lead before she had thrown her first pitch in the bottom of the inning. Kelseyville pulled even at 3-3 in the bottom of the second, but the Bronchos regained the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth, then pulled away with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth for a 10-3 lead.
Allen went 1-for-2 with a double and a RBI and Megan Andre went 1-for-3 with a double and a RBI for the Knights.
“The kids played well,” said Giusti, who credited sophomore center fielder Kari Van Raiss with a handful of “web gems” in center field. “She did a great job out there.”
Flores, a solid all-around player, went 2-for-3 with an infield single and a towering home run to spark the Bronchos.
