LOWER LAKE — Zef Roofener”s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Lower Lake Trojans to a 4-3 win over the Pierce Bears in a non-league varsity baseball thriller on Thursday afternoon in Lower Lake.
Lower Lake (3-0) has already matched its victory total from all of last season (3-15). It also was the Trojans” second straight win in extra innings.
“They battled the whole game,” Lower Lake first-year coach John Miller said of his team”s effort.
Big hits were the order of the day for the Trojans. Besides Roofener”s single in the eighth to win the game, VJ Lopez smacked a two-out, two-run double to center field in the bottom of the sixth to knot the score at 3.
Lower Lake”s defense also shined. Right fielder Jeff Davis threw out a runner at the plate with catcher Ryan Dahneke making a sweeping tag, and teammate Jonny Meza made a nice catch on another ball hit into the outfield to thwart a Pierce rally, according to Miller.
Pierce opened up a 3-0 lead with a run in the top of the first and two more in the fifth against Lower Lake starter Roofener, who struck out nine and walked three in 5 1/3 innings. Lower Lake closed to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth and then tied the game on Lopez”s double in the sixth.
Jon Duncan pitched the final 2 2/3 innings in relief of Roofener to nail down the victory. He allowed one hit, struck out two and walked one.
“All in all they played well,” Miller said of the Trojans.
Lower Lake hosts Potter Valley on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
