WILLITS — Trailing 12-0 after two innings and nearly 10-runned after five innings, the Kelseyville Knights pulled off the Houdini act of 2010 on Friday afternoon as they scored 14 times in the top of the seventh to stun the Willits Wolverines 18-13 in a thoroughly unpredictable North Central League I North varsity baseball game at Willits.
Kelseyville (4-1 North, 11-8 overall) came within an out of being 10-runned in the top of the fifth, but a dropped popup extended the inning and allowed the Knights to score four times and pull to within 12-4.
The score remained unchanged until the top of the seventh when the Knights sent 19 batters to the plate and scored 14 times, the final seven runners crossing the plate with two outs. Kelseyville had 11 of its 19 hits in the inning.
“The ultimate roller coaster ride,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said of a game that the Knights needed to stay on Middletown”s heels in the North race (Middletown is 4-0).
How weird a game was it?
“I was on my third pitcher before we had our first out of the game,” Poloni said of an 11-run Willits bottom of the first.
Starter Dustin Thaxton didn”t retire a batter, allowing five hits, walking two and giving up 11 runs before he was pulled.
“We dropped three fly balls in the inning, that”s how bad it was,” Poloni said.
Nick Rodrigues came on in relief, walked a batter and was hit by a line drive and had to leave the game. Blake Sedrick relieved and worked the first four innings before giving way to Mike Davis, who went the final three innings for the victory.
“I”m proud of my kids for not giving up,” Poloni said. “That”s as focused and intense as we”ve been all season,” he added of the top of the seventh. “I guess for them it was a ton of fun.”
Davis went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Blake Buchanan went 2-for-3 with a double and five RBIs to lead the Knights. Thaxton also went 3-for-5 and Steven Grossner, Blake Panos and Mike DeGregorio added two hits apiece.
In other action Friday:
Middletown 10, St. Helena 3
At Middletown, winning pitcher Daniel Sallee had his second straight three-hit game and No. 9 hitter Austin Hunter went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer and three RBIs overall to power the Mustangs past St. Helena in NCL I interlock play.
Middletown (11-8) has won 10 of its last 11.
“It was a closer game than it appeared,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said. “They hung in there with us.
Leading 5-3 after three innings, the Mustangs scored twice in the fourth and three times in the sixth to widen their advantage.
Sallee worked the first five innings, striking out two and walking three. He went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs at the plate and is 6-for-8 with two doubles and seven RBIs in his last two games.
“My guys played great defense once again,” Tucker said of the Mustangs” flawless day in the field.
St. Vincent 13, Upper Lake 0
At Upper Lake, St. Vincent improved to 5-0 in the South standings and 16-3 overall with a five-inning victory against Upper Lake, the Mustangs” 15th win in a row.
“We did have a good game going through four innings,” Upper Lake coach Jim Green said of the 5-0 score the Cougars trailed by after four innings.
St. Vincent scored eight times in the top of the fifth to bring an early conclusion to the game.
“We”re just not hitting the ball,” Green said. “We”re taking too many first strikes over the plate.”
Upper Lake had just four hits while falling to 0-4 in the South and 5-8 overall.
n Fort Bragg at Lower Lake (not reported)
At Lower Lake, results of a scheduled NCL I North doubleheader between Lower Lake and Fort Bragg were not reported to the Record-Bee.
Softball
Fort Bragg 7, Lower Lake 0
At Fort Bragg, Cassidy Lowe stopped Lower Lake on four hits as the Fort Bragg Timberwolves blanked the Trojans in NCL I North softball action.
Fort Bragg (4-0) did most of its damage in the first two innings, building a 6-0 lead.
Lower Lake (1-3, 4-12) had plenty of scoring chances but couldn”t get the big hit it needed.
“We left 14 runners on base, 11 in scoring position,” Lower Lake coach Tim Sherrell said. “We hit the ball harder than they did but weren”t rewarded.”
Losing pitcher Kristen Garcia went the distance, striking out four and walking four.
Kelseyville 5, Willits 1
At Willits, despite a swollen right knee, the result of being hit by a line drive a day earlier against Fort Bragg, Kelseyville pitcher Jillian Allen scattered eight hits, struck out five and walked one while leading the Knights past the Willits Wolverines in NCL I North play.
“She pitched a strong game and had a strong off-speed pitch,” Kelseyville coach Greg Giusti said.
The Knights (4-1, 5-11) scored a run in the top of the third and four more in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. Allen lost her shutout bid in the seventh.
Kyra Rudnick went 3-for-4 with a double to power a 13-hit Kelseyville attack. Skyler Olsen went 2-for-4 with a triple and a RBI and Kenzie Gould went 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Kelseyville plays four games next week. The Knights are home Monday against Clear Lake and away Tuesday at Lower Lake, Wednesday at Sonoma and Friday at Middletown.
