LOWER LAKE — Given the opportunity to throw his juniors, that”s exactly what Lower Lake coach Joe Mattos did on a blustery Wednesday afternoon in Lower Lake.
Junior pitchers Josh Benfante and Kevin O”Quinn worked all seven innings as the Trojans fell 10-3 to the St. Vincent Mustangs of Petaluma in North Central League I interlock varsity baseball action.
Benfante worked the first 6 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking six. O”Quinn recorded the final out with a strikeout.
“I haven”t been able to pitch them very much this season and I needed to get them some work,” Mattos said. “They”re going to be my two guys next year.”
It was a 5-2 game after five innings before St. Vincent (12-3) began to open things up. The Mustangs scored three times in the top of the sixth for an 8-2 lead although the Trojans got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. St. Vincent capped the scoring with two runs in the seventh.
Kyle Buckingham went 1-for-3 with a RBI and Jesus Fonseca and Stephen Whitcomb had the only other Lower Lake hits. O”Quinn also had a RBI.
St. Vincent had a 5-0 lead before Lower Lake scored twice in the bottom of the fifth.
Gusty north winds made it an adventure in the outfield all day for both teams and Mattos said his outfielders, especially center fielder George Novak, did a great job.
“He”s so fast and can cover so much ground,” Mattos said of Novak. “Balls that were headed toward center field he ended up catching in the gaps. It was crazy out there today.”
Lower Lake resumes its NCL I North schedule on Friday in Middletown. A victory by the Trojans (1-1) would create a three-way logjam atop the North standings.
“I feel real good going into the rest of our league schedule,” Mattos said. “The kids are battling and battling and not giving up.”
