POTTER VALLEY — With pitchers Kristen Garcia and Amanda Graf out of action with injuries, sophomore Samantha Lambert stepped in and tossed a two-hit shutout Friday as the Lower Lake High School softball team blanked Potter Valley 21-0 in non-league action at Potter Valley.
It was the season opener for the Trojans (1-0).
“I”m happy with the way we played as a team,” Lower Lake coach Tim Sherrell said. “We haven”t been able to practice outside much because of the weather, so we”re trying to make the most of our time indoors.”
With Garcia (elbow) and Graf (ankle) nursing injuries, No. 3 starter Lambert made the most of the situation, striking out six and walking one in the five-inning game.
Lower Lake”s offense provided plenty of support with 23 hits. Shadae White went 5-for-5 with a double, triple and three RBIs; Selena Ledesma went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs; and Adrina Milelr went 4-for-5 with five RBIs to lead the way.
The Trojans host Pierce on Monday.
In other softball action Friday:
Upper Lake 9, Geyserville 3
At Upper Lake, winning pitcher Katherine Edmonds and reliever Vanessa Hanson combined on a four-hitter as the Upper Lake Cougars opened the season with a win over Geyserville.
Edmonds struck out four and walked one in five innings. She also went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs.
Adding two hits apiece were Amber McQueen and Kate Irwin, who had a double and two RBIs.
“It”s a super, super young group,” Upper Lake coach Kelly Coburn said. “We have only one senior. They played better than I expected with only a week of practice. I”m very impressed with what they did.”
Upper Lake scored three runs in each of the third, fourth and sixth innings.
Piner 12, Middletown 1
At Santa Rosa, the Middletown Mustangs got off to a shaky start, committing nine errors in a season-opening loss to the Piner Prospectors.
“In 30 years of coaching, I”ve never seen a team with first-game jitters like today,” Middletown”s Bob Cummesky said. “Nerves just got to the kids today.”
Piner scored in each of the first three innings while building a 9-0 lead.
Middletown, starting a freshman and four sophomores, did have a couple of bright spots, according to Cummesky.
Kaitlyn Swank, a sophomore, relieved losing pitcher Victoria Alessandra to open the third inning. She walked the first two batters she faced and hit the third, but then settled into a groove, according to Cummesky.
“After that she settled down and pitched two super innings,” Cummesky said. “She looked real good.”
Slap hitter Roshell Dunlap (2-for-3) had two of Middletown”s four hits.
“She came right out of the gate slapping,” Cummesky said. “She could have been 3-for-3.”
Shelby Key and Hannah Williams had Middletown”s other hits.
“We”re going to get better,” Cummesky said.
Baseball
Lower Lake 5, Potter Valley 0
At Potter Valley, Kevin O”Quinn tossed a three-hit shutout and struck out six as the Lower Lake Trojans opened the 2011 season with a win over the Potter Valley Bearcats.
O”Quinn walked only one in a successful season debut that included a 2-for-4 day at the plate with a double and two RBIs.
“They looked good,” Lower Lake coach Joe Mattos said of what may be the deepest Lower Lake team in many seasons. “We have a lot of players who are interchangeable in the infield and our outfield is solid for the time in some years.”
Lower Lake also has a deeper pitching staff this year, according to Mattos.
“As long as our bats stay active we should be OK.”
Lower Lake (1-0) scored a run in the top of the first inning and didn”t score again until pushing across a run in the sixth for a 2-0 lead. The Trojans then gave O”Quinn some breathing room with a three-run seventh, two of those runs scoring on a double by Dillon Ramsey.
Devante Scott went 2-for-3 for the Trojans, who had eight hits in all.
Upper Lake 6, Calistoga 2
At Upper Lake, the Upper Lake Cougars had only four hits but took advantage of nine walks issued by Calistoga pitching in the first four innings to beat the Wildcats and square their season record at 1-1
Upper Lake fell 3-0 at Potter Valley in its season opener on Tuesday.
Winning pitcher Jared Wade allowed single runs in the first and seventh innings while going the distance on the mound. He struck out nine and walked six.
“He throws a real good curveball,” Upper Lake coach Jim Green said. “He kept the ball down in the strike zone.”
Alex Castillo, the team”s freshman catcher, went 2-for-3 at the plate, including a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth that gave the Cougars some breathing room at 6-1.
Calistoga loaded the bases in the top of the seventh before a single to right field made it 6-2. The Wildcats tried to pick up another run on the play but Upper Lake”s defense cut down the runner at the plate to end the game.
“It was a real well-played game on defense by both clubs,” Green said.
Larry Stacey and Nick Bills also had hits for Upper Lake.
The Cougars are home against Potter Valley Tuesday and on the road against Middletown on Wednesday.
