FORT BRAGG — Cassidy Lowe pitched a one-hitter and helped her own cause by smacking a two-run homer in the first inning Thursday afternoon as the Fort Bragg Timberwolves blanked the Lower Lake Trojans 10-0 in the North Central League I North softball finale for both teams at Fort Bragg.
Fort Bragg completes its North season at 8-0. The Timberwolves will return to action next week in the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs. At-large selection and seeding takes place Sunday.
Lower Lake closes out the year at 2-6 in league play and 5-13 overall.
“It was disappointing because we didn”t play to our potential,” Lower Lake coach Tim Sherrell said of the 2011 season. “But we”re young and lose only two seniors, so the future looks good. It”s a pretty cohesive group.”
One of those two seniors, Katelyn Spooner, had the Trojans” lone hit, a clean single to right field in the top of the fourth inning against Lowe, who struck out three and didn”t walk a batter.
Fort Bragg scored three times in the bottom of the first against losing pitcher Kristen Garcia, Lower Lake”s other senior and team captain. Lowe”s home run was the big blow in the inning.
In other action Thursday:
Varsity baseball
Fort Bragg 8, Lower Lake 0
At Lower Lake, the Fort Bragg Timber-wolves clinched second place in the NCL I North varsity baseball standings by shutting out the Lower Lake Trojans, who had the minimum nine players in uniform.
Fort Bragg finishes North play at 6-2, one game behind champion Kelseyville (7-1) and one game ahead of Middletown (5-3). All three teams are headed for next week”s NCS Division IV playoffs.
Lower Lake concludes the season at 1-7 in league and 3-14 overall.
“I think next year is going to look really good,” Lower Lake coach Joe Mattos said. “We”ve got a good group of kids coming up.”
The Timberwolves wasted no time getting to losing pitcher Kevin O”Quinn, scoring five times in the bottom of the first. They added single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings.
Shawn Bigelow went 2-for-3 for the Trojans and Kyle Buckingham, Josh Benfante and Tony Fonseca had the other Lower Lake hits.
O”Quinn worked the first five innings for the Trojans, striking out one and walking one.
Upper Lake 11, Round Valley 1
At Covelo, Chris Colon tossed a two-hitter and struck out 10 in the first game as the Upper Lake Cougars swept a non-league doubleheader from Round Valley.
The Cougars (4-16) won the second game by forfeit.
Colon allowed an unearned run and one hit in the bottom of the first and didn”t allow another hit until the fifth inning in game one.
“He had the strike zone dialed in,” Upper Lake coach Jim Green said. “Their bats weren”t fast enough to catch up with him.”
Colon also went 3-for-3 at the plate, including two RBIs.
Jared Wade went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs, Larry Stacy went 2-for-3 and Alex Castillo went 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs for Upper Lake.
“Stacy was hitting the ball hard and motoring around the bases,” Green said.
