KELSEYVILLE — Starting pitcher Justin Lilly and freshman reliever Michael Davis combined on a four-hitter and Mike Duman drove in three runs with a double and a triple as the Kelseyville Knights beat the Calistoga Wildcats 9-1 in a non-league varsity baseball game on Friday at Lloyd Larson Field in Kelseyville.
Lilly worked into the fifth inning and ran into a bit of trouble, allowing his only run. Davis relieved and ended the Calistoga uprising without further damage. He went on to register a save.
“His future is definitely bright,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said of Davis, who is up with the varsity now because the Knights (2-0) are in a busy stretch of their schedule — six games in eight days — and need pitchers to crunch some innings. “He”ll go back down but he”s gonna be a phone call away all season.”
Lilly struck out six and walked three in four-plus innings, allowing just one hit. Davis allowed three hits, struck out three and walked three over the final three innings.
“Lilly came out and battled real well,” Poloni said. “I”m happy with his effort to get us into the fifth.”
Duman went 2-for-4 and is 4-for-6 through two games with four extra-base hits. Steven Grossner added two hits and leadoff hitter Cody Rosado went 1-for-2 and scored three times. Matt Jones added a double.
In other action Friday
Middletown 7, Tomales 6
At Middletown, big hits were the order of the day for the Middletown Mustangs, who gave up a 3-0 lead but rallied for a win over the Tomales Braves.
It was the first win of the season for the Mustangs (1-3).
Johnny Harmyk”s two-run double to left-center field in the bottom of the sixth inning capped a three-run uprising that put the Mustangs ahead to stay at 7-5. Trey Davis tied the scored at 5 with a sacrifice fly and Harmyk then unloaded, knocking the ball to the base of the wall.
Winning pitcher Eric Tomko survived a scare in the top of the seventh. Tomales scored a run to make it 7-6 and had runners at second and third with one out before Tomko slammed the door. He retired the final two Braves batters on a popup to shortstop and a strikeout.
“That”s a tough situation for Eric but he did a great job,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said.
Middletown twice wiped out deficits. The first time, trailing 4-3 going to the bottom of the fifth, Trevor Finley doubled with two outs to knot the score at 4.
The Mustangs grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second, the big blow a two-out, two-run homer to left-center field off the bat of Travis Taylor.
Tomko, Finley and Jake Strickler all had two hits.
Softball
Calistoga 4, Kelseyville 2
At Kelseyville, the pitching and defense were there but not the offense for the Kelseyville Knights in a non-league loss to the Calistoga Wildcats.
“It was a very well pitched game and our defense was stellar, but we can”t buy a hit,” Kelseyville coach Greg Giusti said.
Calistoga scored all the runs it would need with a three-run outburst in the top of the second. Kelseyville (0-3) got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second as Allyson Brown led off with a triple and Sara Johnson followed with a sacrifice fly.
Johnson, the Kelseyville catcher, threw out another would-be basestealer and Megan Andre shined at shortstop, according to Giusti.
“She made two or three web gems with diving stops,” he said.
Losing pitcher Casey Bowlin went the distance, allowing six hits, striking out three and walking two.
Besides Brown”s triple in the second, the only other Kelseyville hit was Amanda Mueller”s single in the sixth.
The Knights travel to Calistoga on Monday. First pitch is 4 p.m.
JV baseball
Clear Lake 6, Lower Lake 2
At Lower Lake, Dustin Neale pitched four innings for the win and Ryan Richardson and Ryan Grady had two hits apiece as the Clear Lake Cardinals defeated the Lower Lake Trojans in a non-league junior varsity baseball game.
Jesse Phillips, Jason Edwards, Jaime Lopez and Bryan Edwards all had hits for the Cardinals (3-0).
Losing pitcher Stephen Whitcomb worked seven strong innings for Lower Lake, striking out six. He also went 2-for-3 with a double.
“I”m real proud of him,” Lower Lake coach Joe Mattos said.
The Trojans (0-1) received solid play in the field from catcher Kyle Buckingham, according to Mattos. They also turned a 6-4-3 double play.
“I”ve got a young team but some really good ballplayers,” said Mattos, a 1985 Lower Lake graduate.
Middletown 3, Tomales 3 (tie, 8 innings)
At Tomales, the Middletown Mustangs and Tomales Braves ran out of daylight and the game was called after eight innings with the two teams deadlocked at 3.
“It was a fabulous game,” Middletown coach Charles Russ said. “For spectators and players, it was an exciting game.”
Eric Schenck started on the mound for Middletown (2-1-1) and worked five innings, striking out eight and walking four. Daniel Sallee finished up with three innings of relief, striking out four and walking one. Neither pitcher allowed an earned run.
At the plate, Brett Humphry went 2-for-3 with two runs and two stolen bases, Dane Larson went 2-for-3 and Sallee went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
