CALISTOGA >> Even without a 100-percent healthy Rachel Wingler and minus starting shortstop Aliza Atkins, the Clear Lake Cardinals beat Calistoga 14-1 in their season softball opener on Tuesday afternoon in Calistoga.
Wingler, a junior pitcher, is nursing a sore leg and didn’t have much zip on her fastball, according to head coach Gary Pickle.
“The pitching was good even though she didn’t have her usual pop,” Pickle said.
Wingler carried a two-hit shutout into the bottom of the fifth when two errors by Clear Lake outfielders on one play led to Calistoga’s lone run.
“We played really good defense up until the fifth when we decided to throw it around a little bit,” Pickle said.
Shyanne Chapin, making the start for Atkins at shortstop, helped turn a double play in the bottom of the second after a Calistoga batter led off the inning with a triple. Chapin gloved a line drive and threw on to Alicia Ledesma at third base to double off the runner.
Clear Lake’s offense battered Calistoga pitching for 14 hits, 11 of those coming from four batters. In her Cardinals debut, senior first baseman Destinee Garcia went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs, Anessia Jack went 3-for-3 with a triple in her first start at catcher, Emily Psalmonds went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Wingler added a pair of doubles and three RBIs.
“I’m happy with the way we played,” said Pickle, who also found playing time for his reserves in either pinch-hitting/pinch-running roles or as defensive substitutions.
Wingler had four strikeouts and walked one in her 2015 debut.
The Cardinals take a step up in competition Thursday when they visit Petaluma to play Casa Grande at 3:30 p.m.
