WILLITS — Eric Schenck struck out nine and walked only one while pitching the Middletown Mustangs past the Lower Lake Trojans 3-2 in a North Central League I North junior varsity baseball game on Wednesday in Willits.
Schenck also provided the game-winning hit, singling home teammate Dylan Pastor with one out in the top of the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie. Willits threatened to tie the game in the bottom half of the seventh, putting a runner at third with no outs, but Schenk struck out the third, fourth, and fifth batters in the Wolverines” order, all swinging, to end the game.
“He was absolutely awesome on the mound,” Middletown coach Charles Russ said. “It was a real exciting game, a nail-biter.”
Five of Schenck”s nine strikeouts came in the final two innings, according to Russ. “He got stronger and had better control at the end.”
Middletown fell 6-5 to Willits when the two teams met earlier this season in Middletown.
In another North game Tuesday at Middletown, the host Mustangs beat Kelseyville 11-1 in five innings.
Winning pitcher Ryan Johnson struck out seven and walked three and also went 1-for-3 with two RBIs at the plate.
Schenck went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs for Middletown, Pastor went 2-for-3 with a RBI and Brett Humphrey went 2-for-4 with a RBI. Austin Hunter also had a hit and two RBIs.
