UPPER LAKE — New Upper Lake High School varsity baseball coach Don Meri watched winning pitcher Jordan Hickey toss a complete game and smack a pair of RBI doubles on Friday as the Cougars beat the Potter Valley Bearcats 13-5 in the season opener for both teams at Upper Lake.
The game lasted only five innings because Potter Valley showed up 30 minutes late.
“They thought the game was at 4 (p.m.) instead of 3:30,” Meri said.
Upper Lake (1-0) scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning to go ahead 6-5 and put the game away with a seven-run fifth. In the fourth, Brandon Bills drew a bases-loaded walk to knot the score at 5. Josh Stuckert was then hit by a pitch to force in what proved to be the winning run.
Hickey struck out eight and didn”t walk a batter while allowing seven hits and three earned runs.
“He settled down after the first inning,” Meri said Hickey, who was touched for three runs and four hits in the top of the first.
Devin Callen went 3-for-5 for the Cougars and Hickey and Sam Wurm each went 2-for-2.
The Cougars host Pierce on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
