MIDDLETOWN — Jennifer Green”s two-out RBI single in the top of the eighth inning snapped a 6-6 tie and lifted the Kelseyville Knights to a 7-6 victory over the Middletown Mustangs in North Central League I softball action Wednesday in Middletown.
Middletown threatened in the bottom of the eighth, putting runners at second and third with two outs, but Kelseyville shortstop Kyra Rudnick ran down a popup in shallow left field to end the game.
“I think I held my breath for 30 seconds,” Kelseyville coach Taryn Kysely said of the game”s final out. “She made a great catch to save the game.”
Rudnick also doubled and drove in two runs as Kelseyville improved to 5-8 in league play and 8-10 overall. The Knights trailed 6-2 after four innings before pulling even with a four-run fifth, all the runs unearned after Middletown made two critical errors with two outs.
“We”ve been absolutely killed by errors all year and today was just another example of that,” Middletown coach Bob Cummesky said of the Mustangs” seven defensive miscues against the Knights.
Middletown (2-11, 5-17) scored in each of its first four at-bats but was shut out the rest of the way by winning pitcher Sabrina Lyon, who went the distance. She struck out five and walked two. Lyon also went 2-for-4.
Tabitha Herbstritt went 1-for-3 and scored the winning run for the Knights, who close out their season today at home against Willits at 4 p.m.
Erika Kirby went 3-for-4 with two RBI for Middletown, which plays its final game Friday at home against Cloverdale at 4 p.m. Roshell Dunlap and Maria Castaldo added two hits apiece and Alisha Bell had a two-run triple.
Kaitlyn Swank pitched all eight innings for the Mustangs and took the loss.
