WILLITS — Bouncing back from a 5-2 loss to Ukiah on Tuesday, the Clear Lake Cardinals pounded the Willits Wolverines 13-2 in non-league softball action on Thursday at Willits.
While Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle said he was happy to get back into the win column, he said his squad is a long way from being where he wants it to be.
“We played well in spurts,” Pickle said. “It was pretty uneven. We were into it, a little flat, into it, a little flat. We”ve got to find our balance.”
Clear Lake (5-1) snapped a 2-all tie with five runs in the top of the third inning. Vanessa Tullos” RBI single put the Cardinals in front to stay and winning pitcher Emily Wingler”s two-run double made it 5-2. RBI grounders by Morgan Psalmonds and Rebecca Baker pushed the lead to 7-2.
Clear Lake added three insurance runs in the fourth and three more in the seventh.
After the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, Willits picked up two unearned runs in the bottom of the second to tie it. Catcher”s interference on Mari Jordan and a fielder”s choice set up a two-run double by Madeline Harris, one of only two hits allowed by Wingler during her complete-game effort.
“We made the wrong decision on the fielder”s choice,” Pickle said.
While the Cardinals committed just one error after making a season-high seven in the loss to Ukiah, Pickle said the team has plenty of things to work on, beginning with its baserunning.
“We”ll be working on our sliding,” Pickle said of the team”s Friday practice.
Pickle also shook up his batting order.
“I”m trying to tweak things a little bit,” Pickle said.
Liz Sanderson went 2-for-2 for the Cardinals and Tullos and Katie Reynolds each went 2-for-3 with a RBI. Wingler (1-for-5) knocked in three of the Cardinals” runs.
The win was Wingler”s third against no losses. She struck out 12 and walked two.
The Cardinals hit the road Saturday to play a non-league doubleheader in Esparto. First pitch is noon.
