KELSEYVILLE — Kelseyville”s first big test of the season produced head coach Lou Poloni”s first big migraine as the Knights fell 13-1 to the St. Vincent Mustangs in a non-league varsity baseball game on Tuesday at Lloyd Larson Field in Kelseyville.
The game was called after six innings because of the 10-run rule.
As the final score suggests, the game was more about what the Knights didn”t do than what they did do.
“We didn”t defend the bunt, we didn”t make routine plays, we didn”t recognize rundown situations ?” Poloni said. “It was our first test and we failed. We looked like a poorly coached team and I”m going to have to do a better job, my assistants are going to have to do a better job, and the players are going to have to do a better job. And we will do a better job.”
Kelseyville struck out 11 times in the game, another deficiency that didn”t sit well with Poloni.
“Eleven of our 18 outs were strikeouts. That doesn”t put a lot of pressure on the other team,” he added.
St. Vincent took a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth when the Knights scored their lone run. The Mustangs answered with two runs in the top of the sixth and then put the game away with a six-run sixth.
Matt Jones went 2-for-3 with a double and a run to account for most of the Knights” offense against St. Vincent. Cody Rosado went 1-for-2 with a RBI and losing pitcher Mike Duman and Mike Davis had the only other Kelseyville hits.
Duman worked the first four innings, allowing only two earned runs.
St. Vincent is 4-0 on the season.
In other action Tuesday:
Clear Lake 16, Calistoga 2
At Lakeport, Clear Lake leadoff hitter James Robinson, with an on-base percentage of nearly .700 through the Cardinals” first six games, went 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs in a lopsided victory over the Calistoga Wildcats.
Winning pitcher Roman Rose went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Corey Dillon doubled twice and drove in four runs as the Cardinals improved to 5-1 on the season.
“We threw the ball, we caught the ball, we hit the ball,” Clear Lake coach Paul Larrea said. “The kids are gaining confidence and everyone is contributing.”
Clear Lake blew the game wide open with an eight-run bottom of the third to go up 13-2.
Middletown 13, Upper Lake 0
At Middletown, Devin Nordin and two relievers combined on a three-hit shutout as the Middletown Mustangs hammered the Upper Lake Cougars in a non-league game called after five innings.
Middletown (2-3) has won two straight since losing its first three.
Travis Taylor went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs to spark the Mustangs at the plate and John Hays added two hits, one of them a triple, and also drove in two runs.
Nordin worked the first three innings, striking out three and walking none. In all, Middletown”s three pitchers — Nordin and relievers Johnny Harmyk and Daniel Sallee — struck out seven and didn”t walk a batter.
Devin Callen went 2-for-2 for Upper Lake (3-2).
“We did not play well today and it started in pre-game (warmups),” Upper Lake coach Don Meri said.
Jordan Hickey was the losing pitcher.
