MIDDLETOWN — In Lisa Rogers” final season as Middletown High School”s varsity softball coach, the Mustangs stand just one win away from giving their coach a very sweet going away present.
Middletown moved to within a win of clinching no worse than a tie for the North Central League I North softball championship with a 7-2 victory over the Kelseyville Knights on Tuesday afternoon in Middletown. If the Mustangs win their league finale today at home against Lower Lake (2-5), they are guaranteed at least half the title and possibly an undisputed title depending on how Fort Bragg fares in its final two games ? Thursday at Willits (2-5) and Friday at home against Kelseyville (4-3).
Needless to say, Rogers is now a big Kelseyville fan as she will be pulling for the Knights, who already own one win over Fort Bragg this season, to beat the Timberwolves again.
“They”re evenly matched, but I”m pulling for Kelseyville, you bet,” Rogers said.
After winning pitcher Jen Emberson worked a scoreless top of the first, the Mustangs wasted no time jumping on the Knights, scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning. They broke the game open with a four-run third, which featured a two-run double by Lindsey Silva, and Emberson took it from there as she tossed a three-hitter.
“They”re definitely back,” Rogers said of the Mustangs, who have run hot and cold in 2009.
They started the season 5-1, lost seven in a row, but have won six of their last seven to improve to 11-9 on the season.
“That”s the best game we”ve played all year,” Rogers said of Tuesday”s victory. “We are hot right now, thank you Lord.”
Emberson and Kayla Dilks had two hits apiece for the Mustangs. Emberson also doubled and drove in two runs.
Losing pitcher Jillian Allen worked the first five innings, striking out two and walking one. Allen had one of the three hits allowed by Emberson.
Kelseyville is 8-13 overall.
“Middletown played a solid game and we didn”t,” Kelseyville coach Greg Giusti said. “We really didn”t put any pressure on them.”
Starter Monique Santana was a late scratch for the Knights because of her participation in the Every 15 Minutes program on Tuesday at Kelseyville High School.
“That wasn”t the reason we lost,” Giusti said. “But it didn”t help.”
