SANTA ROSA — Playing their best game of the season against their stiffest competition to date, the Clear Lake Cardinals knocked off the Santa Rosa Panthers 8-2 in a non-league softball game on Saturday in Santa Rosa.
“Santa Rosa wasn”t bad,” Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle said. “We just played a really good defensive game, the best we”ve played this season.”
Among the gems on defense by the Cardinals (4-0) were Rebecca Baker”s catcher in shallow right-center field to rob a Panthers batter of extra bases leading off the bottom of the first, a double play initiated by second baseman Vanessa Tullos, and an attempted double steal by the Panthers that was foiled by the Cardinals, who threw out the runner at the plate.
After going down in order in the top of the first, the Cardinals adjusted their approach at the plate in the second inning, according to Pickle.
“We started covering the outside corner a lot better,” Pickle said.
Corinne McKinney led off the inning with an infield single, Rylie Gabehart fouled off several pitches before working a walk, and Katie Reynolds” single loaded the bases with one out. The Cardinals picked up their first run on a grounder off the bat of Emily Wingler, who reached safely on the fielder”s choice, McKinney beating the throw home. Morgan Psalmonds” infield single made it 2-0 and a bases-loaded walk to Heather White pushed Clear Lake”s lead to 3-0. Baker”s RBI grounder made it 4-0.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the third and pushed their lead to 8-0 with two runs in the fourth.
Santa Rosa scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Wingler, 2-0, pitched the first five innings to notch the victory. She struck out two and walked three. Liz Sanderson finished up.
McKinney went 2-for-3 and scored twice for the Cardinals.
Three of Santa Rosa”s losses this season have come to North Central League I South teams. Besides Clear Lake, the Panthers dropped a 7-5 decision to St. Vincent and a 5-3 decision to Cloverdale.
Clear Lake hosts Ukiah today at 4 p.m.
