MIDDLETOWN — Cheyanne Horvath doubled on a hit-and-run play with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning to drive in teammate Kim Nielsen and beat the sloppy Lower Lake Trojans 7-6 in a North Central League I North softball contest on Friday in Middletown.
Middletown (1-2, 2-2-12) took advantage of six Lower Lake errors to win its first league game and break an eight-game losing streak.
Lower Lake (1-2, 4-10) rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
“I was impressed with Lower Lake,” Middletown coach Bob Cummesky said. “Garcia throws the ball well, but they made too many errors.”
Garcia went the distance, striking out seven and walking two.
“We couldn”t play catch,” Lower Lake coach Tim Sherrell said of his team”s half-dozen miscues in the field.
Nielsen reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the eight. She was running on the first pitch thrown to Horvath, who smacked the ball into right-center field.
“Their right fielder was able to get a glove on it but did not field it cleanly,” Cummesky said.
Nielsen scored standing up to end the game.
Victoria Alessandra pitched 7 1/3 innings in relief of Kristy Fiddler to notch the win. She struck out six and walked three.
Nielsen went 3-for-5, scored four times and stole three bases for the Mustangs. She reached base in all five of her plate appearances. Horvath and Kyleen Bouchard had two hits apiece.
Garcia went 3-for-3 for Lower Lake.
“I”m proud of the kids,” Cummesky said.
“They didn”t give up.”
