UPPER LAKE — Don”t look now but the Lower Lake Trojans, 3-14 last season, already have two wins this year.
In fact, the Trojans are off to a 2-0 start after winning a 2-1 pitcher”s duel in nine innings on Friday in Upper Lake against the Cougars, who were making their season debut under new coach Martin Wade.
“For a first game it gave us a real good look at what we need to work on,” Wade said. “I was happy with the play overall, especially the defensive play.”
In fact, Upper Lake (0-1) didn”t make an error until the top of the ninth when Zef Roofener led off the inning with a fly ball into right field that was dropped for the first error of the game. Roofener stole second, went to third on a passed ball and was still there with one out when Jon Duncan hit a liner to first base that was mishandled for another error, Roofener scoring on the play to make it 2-1.
Roofener struck out 12 in five innings of relief to notch the win. Duncan struck out the side in the ninth for the save.
Upper Lake took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by Stoney Timmons. Lower Lake tied it in the top of the fourth on a Tony Fonseca RBI single.
Losing pitcher Jared Wade worked the final five innings, striking out seven. He also went 2-for-4 with a double for the Cougars.
“That kid (Wade) threw really well,” Lower Lake coach John Miller said. “We couldn”t get any traction against him.”
