KELSEYVILLE >> Five Kelseyville High School pitchers combined on a no-hitter and nearly a perfect game Wednesday afternoon as the Knights overpowered the Upper Lake Cougars 24-0 in a five-inning non-league varsity baseball game at Lloyd Larson Field.
It was the first game of the 2015 season for Upper Lake (0-1) and the first win for Kelseyville (1-1).
Logan Barrick, the winning pitcher, and relievers Dustin Figuera, Andrew Von Wal, Jafeth Silva and Asa Peters all worked one inning. They combined to strike out nine and walk none. Backed by a defense that committed no errors, the only Upper Lake player to reach base — Mike Di Andrea — did so after getting plunked by a Peters pitch leading off the top of the fifth.
“We were nearly perfect,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said. “We knew we had a perfect game going into the inning. When you use a new pitcher each inning, you almost expect a walk or two, but we threw strikes all day.”
While Peters couldn’t maintain the perfect game, he did save the no-hitter much earlier in the game, according to Poloni.
“He made a diving catch in right field or we wouldn’t be talking about a no-hitter,” Poloni said.
The outcome of the game was never in doubt after the Knights batted round and round during a 12-run bottom of the first. They added three runs in the second, eight more in the third and another in the fourth before the game was mercifully called after 4 ½ innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
“Everybody played, which is always nice,” Poloni said.
A baker’s dozen worth of Knights had at least one hit as Kelseyville collectd 19 in all. Among the big sticks were Sambhava Baird, who went 2-for-4 with a triple and six RBIs; Zack Villalobos, who went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs; and Brandon Huber, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Kelseyville takes a big step up in competition in its next three games. The Knights host McKinleyville on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and are home again Saturday to face Arcata in a doubleheader that begins at 11 a.m.
