MIDDLETOWN — Playing in hostile territory before a boisterous Middletown crowd, the Kelseyville Knights knew exactly what to do ? score first.
Kelseyville tallied three runs in the top of the first inning, which was all winning pitcher Dustin Thaxton would need in a 7-2 North Central League I North varsity baseball victory over the Mustangs on Friday afternoon at Wes Martin Field.
Both teams brought undefeated North records into the game. Kelseyville is now 6-0 and 14-5 overall, a winner of seven straight and 12 of its last 13. Middletown fell to 3-1 in league and 11-8 overall while having its 14-game North winning streak snapped.
Thaxton, 4-1, worked all seven innings for the win, scattering six hits, striking out six and walking one. He had a 3-0 lead before he threw his first pitch.
“That was definitely a big first inning,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said. “Their fans did a great job of showing up, so getting out to an early lead was huge.”
Kelseyville loaded the bases against Middletown starting pitcher Eric Schenck, 3-3, without benefit of a hit. Mike Davis was hit by a pitch, Chris Aguon reached on a fielder”s choice on his sacrifice bunt, Davis beating the throw to second on the play, and Thaxton walked. Devon Call (2-for-3) followed with a two-run single and Max Huff collected the first of his three RBIs with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
“Free bases were the name of the game,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said. “You can”t do that against a team like Kelseyville.”
Tucker was referring to the five walks issued by Middletown pitching as well as two hit batsmen and three Mustang errors.
Nic Vargas walked in a run in the top of the third to make it a 4-0 game, at which point Tucker went to his bullpen for Connor Chick, who inherited a bases-loaded, no-out jam. He got out of it by striking out three straight batters.
“He did a great job to get out of that,” Tucker said.
Middletown loaded the bases in the bottom of the third with one out, but Schenck hit a hard grounder to Kelseyville sophomore second baseman John Mark Reagan, who turned the smash into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
“Schenck hit a bullet,” Poloni said. “But my sophomore fielded it cleanly. He was solid at second base. He played really well.”
Kelseyville went up 6-0 in the top of the fourth on a two-run double by Huff (2-for-2).
Middletown picked up single runs in the fifth and sixth to make it 6-2 before the Knights added a run in the seventh.
Poloni said the Knights, despite committing two errors, turned in a strong game in the field and were able to do what the coaching staff has been preaching all season.
“Keep it small,” Poloni said. “If you give up a couple of ones, that”s OK, but don”t let them have a big inning.”
Unselfish play by the likes of Aguon, the Knights” catcher, also was big, according to Poloni.
“He had three sacrifice bunts,” Poloni said. “He understands what we”re trying to do out there. They get it ? that”s how you play the game.”
Chick struck out eight over the final five innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run.
Austin Hunter went 2-for-2 with a double and a RBI for the Mustangs, who out-hit the Knights 6-5.
“At least we did that,” Tucker said. “Now it”s time to start a new (league winning) streak.”
