KELSEYVILLE — Mike Zimmerman struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning, fanning the last two batters he faced with the bases loaded, to save Clear Lake”s 6-3 North Central League I interlock varsity baseball win over the Kelseyville Knights on Wednesday afternoon at Lloyd Larson Field in Kelseyville.
Zimmerman, a left-hander with outstanding control, came on in the seventh after starting pitcher Ryan Hansford, coming off a two-week layoff, worked the first six innings for the victory. Hansford struck out nine and walked five during a 100-pitch effort that impressed Clear Lake head coach Paul Larrea.
“He made pitches when he needed to,” Larrea said. “He did walk five, but it was a tough strike zone today.”
Clear Lake took a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Zimmerman struck out the first batter he faced before Kelseyville loaded the bases on a single by Steven Grossner, a walk to Tommy Mingori and a single by losing pitcher Mike Duman. He then wiggled out of the jam by striking out Kelseyville”s No. 5 and No. 6 hitters.
Kelseyville batters struck out 12 times while Clear Lake batters struck out only four times.
“That”s 12 of your 21 outs right there,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said. “Hansford was up in the zone, but we couldn”t lay off the high pitches. Doing that in the first inning is one thing but we couldn”t make the adjustments at the plate after that.
“That game was in our reach but it”s frustrating when you can”t make contact in that situation,” Poloni added of the bottom of the seventh.
Kelseyville (6-7) took a 3-2 lead into the top of the fifth inning against Clear Lake (10-1). The Cardinals rallied ahead to stay on a James Robinson RBI triple that produced two runs when the throw back into the infield went out of play, allowing Robinson to score and make it 4-3. After a Roman Rose single and a Ryan Lunas double, Nick Jordan grounded out to score Rose with the third run of the inning.
Clear Lake added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, again on a Jordan RBI grounder.
The Cardinals out-hit the Knights 11-5 and were led by Rose, who went 3-for-4, and Robinson, Lunas and McCormack, all with two hits apiece.
“We have different guys picking us up,” Larrea said as the Cardinals completed a season sweep of the Knights, two games to none, while increasing their overall winning streak to nine in a row.
Clear Lake beat Kelseyville 2-1 last Friday in Lakeport.
“We”ve got to learn how to win these types of games,” Poloni said.
Duman pitched the first six innings, allowing only three earned runs and striking out five.
Clear Lake”s Corey Dillon was ejected in the top of the fifth for arguing balls and strikes. He”ll sit out the Cardinals” next game Friday in Willits. Kelseyville returns to action Friday in St. Helena.
