OROVILLE — Fourteen-year-old freshman Dustin Thaxton pitched no-hit ball for 5 1/3 innings before finally tiring, but the Kelseyville High School varsity baseball team still beat Wheatland 7-5 in a consolation-round game at the Oroville Tournament in Oroville.
Thaxton departed the mound with a 5-3 lead and Mike Davis worked the final 1 2/3 innings for the saves as the Knights (3-1) completed the two-day tournament with a 2-1 record.
“I”ve seen his stuff be better, but he has a mound presence that would remind you of an 18-year-old, a 19-year-old or a 20-year-old,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said. “Just to look at him, you wouldn”t know if he”s ahead or behind. He”s totally unaffected by anything.”
Kelseyville had a 7-0 lead before Wheatland finally broke through for four runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Thaxton and Davis ended up with a combined three-hitter and only two of Wheatland”s five runs were earned.
The game”s late start — 4:30 p.m. — was some cause of concern for Poloni, who said his team had to wait around “all day” before finally playing in the late afternoon.
“We had a lot of down time and I was concerned we would come out flat,” Poloni said. “Instead we came out swinging.”
Davis walked leading off the game and one out later Mike Duman cracked a home run deep to left field, the ball clearing the fence and then some, according to Poloni.
The Knights added another run in the second, two more in the third and single runs in the fifth and sixth for a 7-0 lead.
Three players combined for six of Kelseyville”s eight hits. Ryan Cockerton went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, Dustin Panos went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI, and Davis finished 2-for-2.
The tournament produced several positives for the Knights, not the least of which was Matt Jones” catching, according to Poloni.
“Matt Jones had a great weekend behind the plate,” Poloni said.
Justin Lilly was Kelseyville”s representative on the All-Tournament team.
The Knights are home today to play Clear Lake at 4 p.m.
