UPPER LAKE — Amber McQueen drove in five runs and winning pitcher Jessica Swaney went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple on Tuesday to help the Upper Lake Cougars beat the St. Vincent Mustangs 12-9 in the North Central League I South softball opener for both teams.
It”s the first time the Cougars (1-0, 6-2) have beaten St. Vincent since the two teams moved up into the NCL I. The Record-Bee has no record of any other Upper Lake win over St. Vincent going back through at least the 1996 season.
“Last year we played them in a doubleheader and lost to them 12-0 and 20-0, so for us to come back and beat them is pretty incredible,” Upper Lake coach Kelly Coburn said. “I”m so happy with these girls.”
Trailing 3-0 going to the bottom of the second inning, the Cougars pushed ahead to stay with a six-run uprising. They added two more runs in the third for an 8-3 lead.
St. Vincent chipped away at Upper Lake”s lead and closed the gap with a run in the top of the sixth and two more in the seventh.
The Cougars pounded out 18 hits to St. Vincent”s 10 and won despite issuing 15 walks. Swaney worked the first four innings, Katherine Edmonds relieved in the fifth and sixth, and Swaney returned in the seventh. She struck out eight and walked 11.
Swaney helped her own cause at the plate and had plenty of support from her teammates, including McQueen (2-for-4), Rebecca Swaney (3-for-4, two doubles), Kelly Strong (3-for-4, two RBIs) and Taryn Re (3-for-4, double, two RBIs).
Strong came off the bench to make a start and came through at the plate, according to Coburn.
“She”s been working hard in practice,” Coburn said.
Upper Lake hosts Lower Lake in NCL I interlock action today at 4 p.m. and plays another interlock game on Thursday in Middletown at 4 p.m.
The Cougars” next league game is Tuesday at home against Clear Lake at 4 p.m.
