LOWER LAKE — So much for that early season rust. Clear Lake”s Emily Wingler tossed a no-hitter in her first start of 2011 and the Cardinals won their season debut 13-0 on Friday against the Lower Lake Trojans in a non-league softball game at Lower Lake.
“Emily was throwing really well,” Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle said of the junior, who struck out nine and walked one.
“We hit the ball hard a few times,” Lower Lake coach Tim Sherrell said.
The Cardinals (1-0) didn”t break the game open until scoring eight times in the top of the sixth inning. The game was called because of the 10-run rule after the Trojans (0-2) failed to score in the bottom of the inning.
“His team looks real good,” Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle said of Sherrell”s Trojans. “They kept it close for a long time. They played nice defense behind her (Lower Lake starting pitcher (Samantha Lambert).”
“We”re young,” Sherrell said. “We have two seniors, one junior and a lot of underclassmen.”
The Cardinals” speed on the bases and smart baserunning put added pressure on the Trojans” defense, according to Sherrell. “That was tough for us to handle. And their pitcher kept it low.”
Lower Lake senior center fielder Katelyn Spooner took a solo home run away from Wingler in the top of the fourth inning, running all the way to the fence before gloving the ball.
“She made a couple of nice grabs,” Sherrell said. “She did a good job.”
Marsha”na Sugimoto went 4-for-4 for Clear Lake and Haley Garzoli and Heather White each had three hits. White also doubled and tripled while driving in two runs and scoring twice. Freshman catcher Kelcie Reynolds singled home a run in her first varsity at-bat and finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
In other softball action Friday:
Santa Rosa 10, Middletown 0
At Middletown, the Santa Rosa Panthers, featuring a roster of all freshmen and sophomores, improved to 4-0 with a five-inning shutout victory over the Middletown Mustangs, who dropped to 0-2.
Winning pitcher Denia Vera stopped the Mustangs on four hits while striking out five and walking none.
Middletown committed nine errors.
“It”s the difference between a team where no one plays summer ball against a team where everyone plays summer ball,” Cummesky said.
Losing pitcher Kaitlyn Swank allowed all 10 Santa Rosa runs in the first four innings although only two were earned. Victoria Alessandra finished up with a scoreless fifth, striking out two.
Maria Castaldo went 2-for-3 to account for half of Middletown”s hits.
Baseball
Middletown 8, Lick-Wilmerding 7
At Middletown, Eric Schenck doubled home two runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally the Middletown Mustangs past Lick-Wilmerding in non-league varsity baseball action.
Trailing 7-6 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Mustangs (2-1) rallied with two outs and the bases empty. Andres Fernandez and Andy Garcia drew back-to-back walks and Schenck, who fell behind in the count 0-2, drilled a shot down the right-field line that deflected off the glove of Lick-Wilmerding”s outfielder.
Winning pitcher Bryan Holt, working in relief of starter Schenck, issued a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh but worked out of the mini-jam.
The lead changed hands four times in the game.
“It was a crazy game,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said. “We had a couple of big two-run doubles.”
Besides Schenck”s game-winning hit, Saul Preciado (2-for-3) doubled home two runs in the second as the Mustangs grabbed a 2-0 lead.
Pierce 8, Lower Lake 7
At Lower Lake, after spotting Pierce an 8-0 lead after four innings, the Trojans made a valiant attempt to come back, falling just short in the non-league game, which ended with Jason Winans flying out to deep left-center field and the potential tying run on third base.
“We came out kind of flat,” Lower Lake coach Joe Mattos said. “They scored four unearned runs in the fourth inning. That inning just got away from us.”
Lower Lake (1-2) began its comeback with a single run in the fifth followed by a five-run sixth and another run in the seventh.
“It was definitely an exciting game,” Mattos said. “We”re coming together.”
Losing pitcher Devante Scott went 3-for-4 to lead the Trojans at the plate. Talle Jones and Kyle Buckingham each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Scott worked the first three innings and Johnny Meza finished up.
