CLOVERDALE — After spotting Cloverdale a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, the Clear Lake Cardinals rallied to beat the Eagles 6-3 on Tuesday in a North Central League I softball battle for first place at Cloverdale.
Clear Lake improves to 6-0 in the league standings and 11-2 overall while handing Cloverdale (3-1, 9-3) its first NCL I loss.
The Cardinals answered Cloverdale”s two runs in the first inning with four in the top of the second. Marsha”na Sugimoto (3-for-5) singled home the first two runs of the inning and Heather White”s two-run double put Clear Lake ahead to stay.
It remained a 4-2 game until the top of the sixth when White smacked a two-run home run to straightaway center field. Cloverdale got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning.
Winning pitcher Emily Wingler worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to end it. She struck out four and walked two.
“It”s a big win … it”s tough to win down there,” Clear Lake coach Gary Pickle said. “You always know they”re going to play you tough and they did.”
Vanessa Tullos went 2-for-4 for the Cardinals and Kelcie Reynolds had a double.
