WINTERS — Devin Nordin tossed a two-hitter and Zach Strickler tripled and drove in two runs on Saturday as the Middletown High School varsity baseball team hammered Willows 13-1 in the championship game of the Winters Tournament.
The game went only five innings because of the 10-run rule.
Strickler, whose dramatic two-run, walk-off home run in a 10-9 win over Portola on Friday propelled Middletown (8-5) into the championship game, was named tournament MVP. He joined teammates Nordin, Johnny Harmyk and John Hays on the All-Tourney team.
“It”s the first time we”ve ever won this tournament,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said. “Mike Robertson (former Middletown coach) told me they made it to the title game once but didn”t win.”
Nordin struck out eight and walked two. He allowed a run in the top of the third with Middletown leading 5-0. The Mustangs scored six more times in the bottom of the third to make it 11-1.
“He finally put everything together,” Tucker said of Nordin. “He pitched the way he”s capable of pitching.”
Dylan Pastor went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs for Middletown, Hays went 2-for-2 with a double and a RBI, and Harmyk and Eric Tomko drove in two runs apiece.
“My guys played very well during the tournament and I”m proud of them,” Tucker said.
Middletown opens its North Central League I North schedule today in Willits at 4 p.m.
In another Winters Tourney game Saturday:
Lower Lake 16, Rio Vista 1
All-Tournament selection Jesus Fonseca scattered four hits and also went 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and four RBIs as the Lower Lake Trojans beat Rio Vista in a game called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.
Fonseca struck out six, walked one and did not allow an earned run.
“He pitched real well,” Lower Lake coach Chris Emberson said.
During one of his at-bats, Fonseca twice cleared the fence in left field, but the balls curled foul each time. He then doubled off the fence in left-center field.
Leading 5-1 going to the bottom of the fourth, Lower Lake (3-9) erupted for 11 runs to put the game out of reach.
“It was good to get a win in this tournament,” Emberson said.
Lower Lake hosts Kelseyville on April 21.
