KELSEYVILLE — Dustin Thaxton pretty much did it all for the Kelseyville Knights on Tuesday afternoon as they beat the Fort Bragg Timberwolves 5-0 in a battle of North Central League I North title contenders at Lloyd Larson Field.
Thaxton pitched a four-hitter, striking out one and walking one in an economical 84 pitches. He also anchored the offense by driving in three runs with a RBI groundout in the bottom of the third inning and a two-run single in the fifth.
“He had good stuff, kept the ball down,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said. “He kept throwing groundballs.”
Kelseyville”s defense was up to the task while recording 20 of the game”s 21 outs.
“We did have two errors, but we made a lot of really nice plays,” Poloni said.
Kelseyville”s offense chipped away at the Timberwolves and losing pitcher Cody Ryden, who struck out eight. The Knights took a 1-0 lead when Fort Bragg (2-1) booted a grounder in the second that allowed Max Huff, who had doubled leading off the inning, to score from third base.
Thaxton”s RBI grounder in the third and his two-run single with one out in the fifth, which scored Mike Davis and Chris Aguon, pushed Kelseyville”s lead to 4-0.
The Knights (3-0 North, 10-5 overall) added an insurance run on Juan Huerta”s RBI grounder in the sixth.
Off since April 15 because of spring break and a non-league game cancellation, the Knights didn”t appear to be rusty in the slightest, according to Poloni.
“We definitely had the ?A” effort,” Poloni said. “We came out fired up. It”s a little scary when you don”t play for 10 days and you”re coming back right into the fire against Fort Bragg.”
Davis went 2-for-3 for Kelseyville, a winner of three in a row and eight of its last nine.
Kelseyville hosts Willits (0-4) on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. in NCL I North action. The Knights play a non-league game Saturday in Forestville against El Molino.
