UPPER LAKE — Jessica Swaney”s three-run blast to left field in the bottom of the third inning put the Upper Lake Cougars in a very good spot on Friday afternoon against the St. Vincent Mustangs.
Swaney”s Lake County-leading third home run of the season staked the Cougars to a 4-0 lead against a team they beat 12-9 in their North Central League I South softball opener earlier this month in Upper Lake. As things turned out, it wasn”t nearly enough.
St. Vincent scored seven times in the top of the fourth and also had a seven-run sixth inning en route to a 17-7 victory.
“After the home run we hardly could hit the ball,” Upper Lake coach Kelly Coburn said.
The Cougars (1-2 South, 8-4 overall) had a harder time catching it as they committed 10 errors on their own field.
Swaney pitched all seven innings for the Cougars, allowing 15 hits while striking out four and walking two.
“They were placing the hits in the holes that weren”t being covered,” Coburn said.
Swaney and Amber McQueen had two hits apiece for the Cougars, who have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. McQueen also doubled and drove in a run. Sierra Coleman went 1-for-3 with a RBI.
After St. Vincent pushed in front 7-4 in the top of the fourth, Upper Lake came back with a run in the bottom of the inning. But it was pretty much all Mustangs the rest of the way as they scored a run in the fifth and seven more in the sixth.
Upper Lake hosts North leader Fort Bragg Monday at 4 p.m.
