LOWER LAKE >> Shelbie Harris struck out her 500th career batter as the Lower Lake Trojans swept the Willits Wolviernes 10-0 in six innings in game one and 11-0 in five innings in game two during a North Central League I softball doubleheader on a warm Thursday afternoon in Lower Lake.
Harris, a senior and four-year starter at pitcher, began the day with 491 career strikeouts. She worked the first three innings in both games to earn her 12th and 13th victories of the season against only three losses. Harris struck out seven in both games. No. 500 came on a called third strike to end the top of the first inning in game two.
“She struck out two in that first inning, the first and third batters,” Lower Lake coach Chris Emberson said.
The called strike three on No. 500 came on a changeup, according to Emberson.
Harris also had a good game at the plate in game two, doubling to right-center field in each of her first two at-bats and driving in three runs in all. Ashlynn Mock, Lake County’s hits leader, also had two hits and three RBIs in the second game, that after she went 1-for-3 with three runs scored in the opener.
Mock relieved Harris in both games as the Trojans (7-2 league, 15-4 overall) snapped a two-game losing streak. She pitched five innings in all, allowing no hits, striking out four and walking one.
Willits had only four hits to show for the two games, including only one in the second game, a leadoff single against Harris in the top of the third.
Lower Lake’s bats also remained relatively cold, according to Emberson, who said nine hits in the first game and five in the second game wasn’t very many for a team that has been ripping the cover off the ball most of the year.
“We’re still slumping at the plate a little and it’s frustrating,” Emberson said. “We did a good job of taking advantage of their (Wolverines’) mistakes, but it’s not like we pounded the ball today. We didn’t. We’re hitting a slump at the wrong time.”
Emma Diener went 2-for-3 for Lower Lake in game one while Katrina Rinoldi went 1-for-2 with a two-run double. Vanessa John kick-started the Trojans’ offense in the opener with a two-out, two-run single during a three-run second inning.
“Those were our first two runs of the game,” Emberson said.
A rainout at Willits in early April made the doubleheader necessary. Willits was the home team in game one while Lower Lake was the home team in game two.
Emberson went with his starters early in both games before subbing in reserves. The exception was John in game one.
“She’s normally a reserve but I started her in left field,” Emberson said.
Lower Lake has five league games remaining — one each against, in order, Kelseyville, Middletown, Cloverdale, Clear Lake and Fort Bragg. Tuesday’s game against Kelseyville is the final home date of the season for the Trojans. Lower Lake likley needs to run the table in order to get some share of the league title, that is unless Clear Lake (8-1) or Cloverdale (7-1) falters down the stretch.
