UPPER LAKE >> Adrianna Saldana and Janee Swaney had no problem seeing or hitting the softball on Friday afternoon in Upper Lake as the Cougars beat the Laytonville Warriors 8-6 in the first game and 17-11 in the second game of a non-league doublehader.
Saldana, the Cougars’ third baseman, went 6-for-8 on the day with a double and three RBIs while Swaney, the Upper Lake shortstop, went 5-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.
“We didn’t hit the ball very well in the first game but we finally adjusted in the second game. We were way out in front of her (the Laytonville pitcher) and we couldn’t get our timing down. We did a much better job in the second game.”
Upper Lake finished with 25 hits, 18 of those coming during a game-two slugfest. Both teams scored at least one run in every inning except the top of the fifth. LaShaye Taylor’s two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, part of a three-run inning, gave the Cougars a 17-9 lead.
While there wasn’t much defense played in game two, there was a web gem in the top of the first inning when Saldana gloved a line drive and tagged out a runner at third base to complete an unassisted double play.
Upper Lake freshman pitcher Julia Mooney earned the win in both games. She pitched the first four innings and the last inning and two-thirds of game one, with Swaney relieving in the fifth. Mooney went the distance in game two. Overall she struck out 13 and walked five in 12 1/3 innings.
In the first game, Upper Lake built a 7-1 lead before Laytonville scored five times in the top of the sixth to make it a one-run game. Saldana went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Swaney went 2-for-2 with a double.
In the second game, Upper Lake scored twice in the bottom of the third to go up 7-5 and led the rest of the way. Saldana and Swaney finished with three hits apiece while LaShaye Taylor, KJ Taylor, Sierra Fugate, Jazlyn Bonilla and Hannah Johnson added two hits apiece. Ashley Aceves had only one hit but drove in five runs.
Upper Lake (3-2) plays three games next week. The Cougars travel to Boonville on Tuesday to play Anderson Valley and play at home Wednesday against Geyserville and Friday against Potter Valley.
