CLOVERDALE >> When the Clear Lake High School softball team returns to action today in the second round of the Ukiah Tournament, the game-winning three-run home run hit by Windsor’s Ashlynn Wells on Friday afternoon might still be flying through the air.
Wells launched an 0-1 changeup from Clear Lake’s Rachel Wingler into the next area code as the Jaguars rallied in the top of the seventh to beat the Cardinals 8-5 in first-round action at Ukiah High School.
Clear Lake (4-4) had just tied the game at 5-5 with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Windsor opened the top of the seventh with back-to-back singles, hits the Cardinals could have made plays on, according to coach Gary Pickle.
“We could have had the bases empty with two outs and pitched around her,” Pickle said of Wells, the Jaguars’ junior left fielder who was already 2-for-3 with a triple when she strode to the plate in the seventh. “Instead it was two on and no outs and we didn’t have any choice but pitch to her.”
Wells made the Cardinals pay.
“She hit the ball into the next field where people were warming up,” Pickle said. “It’s the first changeup we threw her all game and it’s the last one we’ll throw her.”
Clear Lake fought back from a 2-0 first-inning deficit to go up 4-2 with three runs in the second and another in the fourth. The Jaguars surged in front with a three-run fifth before Clear Lake tied it in the sixth on consecutive two-out singles by Mina Werner, Anessia Jack and Hannah Norwood. The Cardinals then ran themselves out of the inning.
In other action Friday:
Baseball
Cloverdale 5
Kelseyville 1
At Cloverdale, Chris Harms allowed only one hit and no runs after the first inning as the Cloverdale Eagles beat the Kelseyville Knights in NCL I baseball action at City Park.
Kelseyville (1-1 league, 5-7 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-out single by losing pitcher Noah Lyndall and a RBI double by Sambhava Baird. The Knights didn’t get another hit until Lyndall (2-for-2) doubled with one out in the top of the sixth.
Lyndall worked the first five innings for Kelseyville, striking out six and walking three.
St. Helena 7
Lower Lake 5
At Lower Lake, Anthony Williams went 4-for-4 with a RBI but the St. Helena Saints beat the Lower Lake Trojans in NCL I action.
St. Helena (1-1) snapped a 1-all tie with a run in the top of the second and led the rest of the way. Lower Lake (0-2, 3-7) closed to 5-3 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Both teams scored twice in the seventh.
Losing pitcher Tony Jones worked the first four innings, striking out two and walking two.
Tennis
Kelseyville 3
Clear Lake 2
At Lakeport, in a battle of two teams looking for their first win of the season, the Kelseyville Knights got it at the Clear Lake Cardinals’ expense.
Kelseyville (1-3) won all three singles matches while Clear Lake (0-6) won both doubles matches. Singles winners were Drew Ashby, 6-0, 6-0 over Liam Stahl in first singles; Claire Vargas, 6-2, 6-3 over Ethan Jones in second singles; and Mary McCallister, 6-3, 6-1 over Subhagya Joshi in third singles.
Doubles winners were Arturo Olmedo-Chris Vincent, 6-2, 6-3 over Milly Cacho and Summer Brown in first doubles; and Bailey Elkington-Sereno Dominguez, 6-2, 6-4 over Kristen Amendola-Shuannah Molley in second doubles.
JV baseball
Lower Lake 9
St. Helena 2
At St. Helena, Hokulani Wickard pitched six innings for the victory and went 2-for-3 with a RBI and scored twice to lead the Lower Lake junior varsity baseball team to a 9-2 league win over St. Helena.
Clear Lake 11
Willits 1
At Willits, winning pitcher Isaac Maize went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBIs as Clear Lake defeated Willits in a six-inning league game called early because of the 10-run rule. On the mound, Maize worked the first four innings, allowing two hits, one run, striking out six and walking none.
