LOWER LAKE — Emma Diener”s first high school hit cleared the bases on Monday as the Lower Lake High School freshman homered in the Trojans” 20-2 non-league softball win at Lower Lake.
Called after 4 1/2 innings because of the 10-run rule, the contest featured two home runs by the Trojans. Along with Diener, Adrina Miller connected for the second game in a row. Diener”s two-run blast into the left-center field gap came during a five-run bottom of the third. Miller homered during a four-run second inning, her two-run shot landing in the right-center field gap.
“I gave her the ball,” Lower Lake coach Chris Emberson said of Diener, who went 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. “She started at catcher and did a good job. She”s going to be a good little player.”
Lower Lake winning pitcher Sam Lambert spotted Potter Valley a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Trojans (4-2) moved in front to stay with five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Their biggest inning was a six-run fourth.
“I was real happy we didn”t give up any walks and we did a good job on defense (just one error),” Emberson said.
Lambert worked the first two innings, allowing all three Potter Valley hits. Shelbie Harris pitched the next two innings before giving way to Amanda Graf in the fifth.
Emberson started all three of his freshmen (Diener, Rachel Wedertz and Cheyenna Apodaca) against the Bearcats.
“I started my entire bench,” Emberson said. “I want to give my freshmen a lot of experience.”
Wedertz went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI while Apodaca went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Diener, Miller, Harris, Wedertz, JoAnna Wakeman and Isabelle Azbill had two hits apiece for Lower Lake. Azbill, a veteran, was making her season debut. Harris joined Wedertz with four RBI.
Lower Lake plays at Calistoga on Thursday at 4 p.m.
