LAKEPORT — Ryan Hodges pitched a two-hit shutout in a down-to-the-wire first game and Andrew Jackson came back with a six-hitter in the second game Saturday as the Clear Lake Cardinals swept a non-league varsity baseball doubleheader from the McKinleyville Panthers, winning 1-0 and 6-2 at Lakeport.
Clear Lake takes a 4-3 record into its North Central League I opener today at home against Fort Bragg although the Cardinals won”t have Jackson – who starred in both ends of Saturday”s action – for the remainder of the season. The senior is academically ineligible and will miss the rest of the 2013 campaign.
He certainly went out with a bang.
Jackson”s one-out single, a line drive into left field, scored teammate Joey Blair from third base in the bottom of the seventh to give the Cardinals a walk-off win. Blair walked, stole second and moved to third on a fly ball out to set the stage for Jackson, who fell behind in the count 0-2 before working it full and collecting the game-winning hit.
“He fouled off a bunch of pitches,” Clear Lake coach Zane Jensen said.
Hodges stopped the Panthers on only 83 pitches.
“He was always ahead in the count and his fastball was on,” Jensen said. “He pitched awesome.”
Hodges did not allow a runner past second base. He struck out seven and walked two.
David Mansell”s triple was Clear Lake”s only other hit.
In game two, Jackson had to throw a few more pitches than Hodges did in game one, but only because his defense made five errors.
“If we don”t make those errors, he”s the same as Hodges, down in the 80s,” Jensen said in reference to Jackson”s pitch count. “He threw a solid game, he threw strikes.”
Logan Kessinger”s RBI double snapped a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth and ignited a three-run rally by the Cardinals.
Mansell and Cole Brodnansky each went 2-for-3 in the game. Each of Mansell”s singles drove in runs.
Jensen said he feels confident going into today”s league opener against the Timberwolves
“We”ve played a very tough non-league schedule, a lot of good teams,” Jensen said.
