LAKEPORT >> Tyler Krul scattered six hits over five innings as the Clear Lake Cardinals hammered the Lower Lake Trojans 13-2 in North Central League I varsity baseball action on Tuesday afternoon in Lakeport.
The win keeps Clear Lake unbeaten in the NCL I standings (3-0) and overall (9-0). Lower Lake falls to 0-3 and 3-7.
Lower Lake did take a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Clear Lake answered with three runs against Trojans ace Tony Jones in the bottom half, a two-out rally that featured RBI hits by Cole Brodnansky (2-for-3, 3 RBIs) and Dillon Williams (1-for-3, double). The Cardinals added two more runs in the second before blowing the game wide open with a six-run third.
As they did in a seven-run third inning against Willits last Friday in Lakeport, the Cardinals opened the rally with consecutive bunt singles by the first two players in their batting order, Jared Strate (2-for-3) and Jake Egger (2-for-3, RBI).
“That’s what got us going,” Clear Lake coach Zane Jensen said.
Clear Lake collected 13 hits in the win, including a 3-for-3 day by the No. 7 hitter in their order, Tyler Manning, who also had two RBIs.
Krul didn’t get a hit but did knock in two runs in two official at-bats. On the mound, he struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.
“He was mostly ahead in the count,” Jensen said. “He challenged hitters and made our defense work.”
Clear Lake travels to St. Helena on Thursday while Lower Lake visits Cloverdale on Friday. Both games start at 4 p.m.
In other baseball action Friday:
Fort Bragg 5
Kelseyville 4
At Fort Bragg, thoroughly in control of the game through six innings, the Kelseyville Knights lost a heartbreaker to the Fort Bragg Timberwolves, who scored four times in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the league victory.
Logan Barrick was working on a third straight shutout with a 4-0 lead through five innings. Fort Bragg (2-1) finally broke through with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Two big Kelseyville errors in the bottom of the seventh fueled Fort Bragg’s come-from-behind victory, including one on the final play of the game. The Knights were still clinging to a 4-3 lead when reliever Noah Lyndall entered the game with runners at second and third with only one out. Lyndall retired the first batter he faced on a routine popup to second base. The next Timberwolf batter rolled a grounder to shortstop that was misplayed for an error, the tying and winning runs scoring.
“It took a bit of a funny hop but we should have made the play,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said. “I really feel bad for the guys. It was one they needed to win and one they worked hard for. Their faces said it all.”
Kelseyville (1-2, 5-8) built a 4-0 lead behind Barrick with a run in the top of the first on Kyle Ellis’ RBI double and a three-run third that featured a sacrifice fly by Barrick and run-scoring singles from Sambhava Baird and Robert McLean.
Barrick struck out three and walked one in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed two earned runs.
Lyndall went 2-for-4 with a double and Brandon Huber went 2-for-3 to lead the Knights at the plate.
“We’re going to have to regroup,” Poloni said. “We’re not as bad as our record indicates. There are wins out there for us to get.
Softball
Middletown 4
St. Helena 2
At Middletown, Middletown’s hitting still isn’t where head coach Barry Glosser wants it to be, but when you have a pitcher like senior southpaw Renee Edwards, a moderate amount of offense is usually enough.
Edwards stopped the St. Helena Saints on four hits, struck out 12 and walked none as the Mustangs improved to 2-0 in league and 7-3 overall.
Aly Ferguson went 3-for-3 as the Mustangs banged out 11 hits, but too many missed scoring opportunities cost Middletown a chance at a bigger victory margin.
“We have to do a better job adjusting to the pitching,” Glosser said. “When a pitcher is slower, you need to stay back and be patient.”
Middletown led 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when it padded its lead with three runs. Consecutive singles by Ferguson, Brittney Holt (2-for-3) and Hannah Flynn (2-for-3) opened the inning. Ferguson continued home on an error on Flynn’s bunt single. A passed ball scored another run and Angie Garcia’s RBI single gave the Mustangs a 4-0 cushion.
St. Helena (1-2) scored twice in the top of the sixth.
Flynn had a triple for the Mustangs, who return to action Friday in Kelseyville at 4 p.m.
Kelseyville 5
Fort Bragg 4
At Fort Bragg, the Kelseyville Knights dropped both ends of a non-league doubleheader to Fort Bragg on March 14 in Fort Bragg, but their return trip to the Mendocino County coast proved to be much more successful as they beat the Timberwolves in the first of two league meetings between the two teams.
Winning pitcher Morgan Profitt scattered four hits, struck out eight and walked eight. She also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to help her own cause.
“She did walk eight, but she came back on six of those to strike out the next batter,” Kelseyville coach Jeff Bour said.
Kelseyville had a 5-1 lead after four innings. Fort Bragg scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to close the gap. The Timberwolves already had a run in with the potential tying run at third base and only one out in the bottom of the seventh when Profitt buckled down. She struck out a batter and then ended the game with a grounder to second base.
“A good win for us,” Kelseyville head coach Jeff Bour said. “We needed it.”
The victory halted a six-game Knights (1-2, 3-7) losing streak.
Riley Goff and Bib Hamner each had two hits in the win.
Kelseyville hosts Middletown (2-0) on Friday at 4 p.m.
JV baseball
Lower Lake 2
Clear Lake 0
At Lower Lake, in a battle of two teams with undefeated league records, the Lower Lake Trojans shut out the Clear Lake Cardinals behind the pitching of freshman Hokulani Wickard.
Lower Lake improved to 3-0 in league and 5-3 overall as Wickard tossed a one-hitter, struck out nine and walked one. He allowed a total of three baserunners, none advancing past second base.
“Hoke pitched a great game and we played great defensive baseball,” Lower Lake coach Jim Peters said.
Isaac Lewis singled into the hole between third base and shortstop with one out in the top of the fifth inning to break up Wickard’s no-hitter.
Lower Lake, which had just two hits, scored in the first and fourth innings. Sean McCarthy led off the bottom of the first with a single and eventually scored on an error. In the fourth, Marlon Jones, who had the Trojans’ other hit, scored on McCarthy’s fielder’s choice.
Clear Lake is 2-1 in league and 4-2 overall.
