UPPER LAKE — Winning pitcher Corey Dillon had three hits — exactly three more than the Upper Lake Cougars — and the Clear Lake Cardinals cruised to a 12-1 win during a North Central League I South varsity baseball game on Thursday in Upper Lake.
Dillon”s no-hitter lifted Clear Lake to 1-2 in the South standings and 13-5 overall. The starting center fielder for the Cardinals most days, Dillon struck out seven, walked four and hit two.
“We did not hit a ball hard today,” Upper Lake coach Don Meri said. “He looked hittable, too, but he did whatever he wanted to do out there today. When he wanted to throw a fastball by us, he threw one by us. When he needed to get his curve over, he got the curve over. He kept us off-balance and really pitched well.”
“He”s been a work in progress,” Clear Lake coach Paul Larrea said of Dillon. “Today was a big step forward for him.”
Dillon had a 6-0 lead before he threw his first pitch to the Cougars (0-3, 5-12). Clear Lake struck for six runs in the top of the first against losing pitcher Jordan Hickey, five of them scoring after two were out.
Upper Lake picked up its only run in the bottom of the first as Dillon walked James Eubanks with the bases loaded.
Roman Rose and Bryan Edwards each had two hits and two RBIs for Clear Lake.
In other action Thursday:
Softball
Clear Lake 17, Upper Lake 0
At Upper Lake, Rylie Gabehart allowed a first-inning single but no other hits and the Clear Lake Cardinals rebounded from a tough 9-6 loss to St. Vincent by shutting out the Upper Lake Cougars.
Lisa Irwin”s solid single to left field in the top of the first was the only hit allowed by Gabehart, who struck out four and walked two.
“She threw the ball really well,” Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle said.
Clear Lake (2-1, 13-5) scored in every inning of the five-inning game. Senior catcher Julie Jackson led a 13-hit attack by going 4-for-4 with a double and a home run, a two-run shot to left field during the Cardinals” four-run third inning.
Kaila Sterbank went 3-for-3 for Clear Lake and teammates Gabehart and Candy Diener added two hits and a RBI apiece.
The Cardinals also did not commit an error after making eight in the loss to St. Vincent. Third baseman Katie Reynolds had the defensive gem of the game, according to Pickle, with a leaping grab of a line drive in the bottom of the fourth inning to rob Upper Lake”s Rebecca Swaney of a hit.
Upper Lake fell to 0-3 in the South standings and 0-9 overall.
Cloverdale 11, Middletown 6
At Cloverdale, Cloverdale scored five times against a tiring Jen Emberson in the bottom of the sixth to pull away from Middletown in NCL I interlock softball action.
Middletown (6-8) had just scored twice in the top of the sixth to cut Cloverdale”s lead to 6-4, but the Eagles unloaded on Emberson in the bottom half.
The two teams combined for 26 hits.
“We were both hitting the heck out of the ball,” Middletown coach Lisa Roger said.
Nacomi Spaulding went 2-for-4 with a double, home run and two RBIs to lead the Eagles. Jessica Boylan went 3-for-4 and scored twice for Middletown. Alicia Siri, Marea Bartolucci and Megan Marincic added two hits apiece.
Emberson went the distance for Middletown, striking out two and walking three. Winning pitcher Kenna Ruiz struck out 10 and walked two.
