MIDDLETOWN — Victoria Alessandra pitched her best game of the year and freshman standout Madi Hicks banged out three more hits on Friday afternoon as the Middletown Mustangs beat the Kelseyville Knights 11-6 in North Central League I North softball action at Middletown.
Alessandra struck out a season-high eight and walked five.
“But she scattered the walks out, so they really didn”t hurt her,” Middletown coach Bob Cummesky said. “She threw the ball very well.”
Kelseyville (1-6 North, 2-15 overall) scored two runs in the top of the fourth to forge a 5-5 tie, but the Mustangs rallied for six runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull away.
Losing pitcher Sabrina Lyon issued four of her five walks in the Middletown fifth, walking the bases loaded to open the inning. Hicks (3-for-4) followed with a RBI single to put Middletown ahead 6-5 and Rachel Sutton”s RBI fielder”s choice made it 7-5.
The Mustangs (2-3, 6-10) then reloaded the bases when Lyon hit a batter. Kristiana Outen drew a walk to force in another run. Middletown added three more runs in the inning, including a two-out, two-run single by Kyleen Bouchard.
Kelseyville scored its final run in the top of the seventh.
“I was extremely impressed with Kelseyville,” Cummesky said. “They were much improved from the first time we played them.”
Cummesky also had high praise for Lyon and shortstop Kyra Rudnick.
“Sabrina pitched real well, she just had that one bad inning,” Cummesky said. “Rudnick made a couple of great plays and took us out of one inning with a double play.”
Roshell Dunalp went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs for Middletown. Lyon went 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs for Kelseyville, which was playing its fifth game in four days.
Lyon finished with five strikeouts and five walks.
Baseball
Clear Lake 4, Upper Lake 2
At Upper Lake, reliever Oren Ruffcorn pitched four strong innings to notch the victory as the Clear Lake Cardinals held off the Upper Lake Cougars in NCL I South varsity baseball action.
Clear Lake (3-4 South, 8-9 overall) scored twice in the top of the sixth to snap a 2-2 tie. A run-scoring error by the Cougars (0-6, 2-14) put the Cardinals in front 3-2 and Brandon Disney followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2.
Both teams scored two runs in the third inning. Upper Lake was threatening for more but a diving grab by Clear Lake freshman third baseman Brad Bologna, playing in his first varsity game, led to a force play at third and ultimately saved the Cardinals a couple of runs in the inning, according to Clear Lake coach Gary Milhaupt.
“He made a great play to force the runner,” Milhaupt said. “Two runs would have scored for sure if he hadn”t caught the ball.”
Bologna (1-for-3) also singled in his first varsity at-bat.
Ruffcorn inherited a 2-2 lead to open the fourth inning and shut the door on the Cougars. He allowed no hits, struck out eight and didn”t walk or hit a batter.
“He was on,” Milhaupt said.
Alex Castillo pitched well in defeat for the Cougars, going all seven innings, striking out three and walking three.
“Alex Castillo pitched a great game,” Milhaupt said.
The two teams combined for just seven hits and Upper Lake made all five of the game”s errors.
Stoney Timmons went 2-for-3 for Upper Lake and Castillo singled home both of the Cougars” runs in the third.
Besides Bologna”s single, Ruffcorn and Clear Lake starting pitcher Steven Edwards had the Cardinals” only other hits.
JV baseball
Lower Lake 6, Willits 3
At Clearlake, strikeout machine Zeff Roofner rang up 13 batters in five innings as the Lower Lake junior varsity baseball team beat Willits in NCL I North play.
D.J. Lopez (1-for-2), John Duncan (1-for-2) and Jerrald Drummond (1-for-3) drove in two runs apiece for Lower Lake, now 3-2 in the North standings.
Middletown 12, Kelseyville 10
At Kelseyville, Middletown improved to 3-1 in the North standings by beating the Kelseyville Knights in a slugfest.
Jack Hamilton went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Middletown, now 9-5 overall, and Graham Brown went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Blaine Amos also had two hits, one of them a triple, with one RBI.
