LAKEPORT — Lakeport”s Joe DiMaggio team for baseball players between the ages of 15-19 opened the season Saturday by dropping a doubleheader to Willits at Clear Lake High School. Willits won 6-3 in the opener and 12-6 in the second game.
“We played extremely well in the face of some early season challenges,” coach Gary Milhaupt said.
One of those challenges was teammates who didn”t know each other. Because Kelseyville”s Joe DiMaggio team folded prior to the start of the season and Lower Lake doesn”t offer a team, Lakeport inherited players from both areas and many of them met for the first time on Saturday.
Pitcher Corey Dillon took the loss in the first game after struggling with his control. He walked nine and struck out six. Jared Mehtlan was the winning pitcher.
Dillon had two of Lakeport”s six hits and also scored a run. Alan Moses went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
In the second game, Lakeport took an early 2-0 lead but couldn”t hold it as Willits scored a combined 10 runs in the second and third innings against losing pitcher Moses. Willits outhit Lakeport 21-13.
Ryan Richardson went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and a RBI to lead Lakeport at the plate. Joel Valencia went 1-for-2 with a run and Justin Lilly went 1-for-4 with two runs.
Next up is a home doubleheader this Saturday against Windsor. First pitch is 11 a.m. at Clear Lake High School.
