MIDDLETOWN >> Middletown’s Mustangs had all the ammunition they needed — read baserunners — in the first three innings on Tuesday to give Clear Lake a game, but couldn’t pull the trigger.
The last obstacle between Clear Lake and its bid for an undefeated league and regular season, Middletown became just another notch in Clear Lake’s gun — No. 24 to be exact — as the Cardinals won 12-3 on Tuesday afternoon at Wes Martin Field.
Clear Lake closed out its North Central League I season at 14-0 and the Cardinals take an impressive 24-0 overall mark into next week’s North Coast Section Division IV playoffs. They’ll find out who they are playing when the Division IV field is released Sunday.
“The guys worked extremely hard to get to this point, but the journey’s not done yet,” said Clear Lake coach Zane Jensen, referring to the upcoming sectional tournament.
Winning pitcher Jordan Chana worked out of bases-loaded jams in each of the first three innings to notch his ninth win against no losses this season. He lasted 6 1/3 innings before tiring.
“Jordan pitched a heck of a game, but his pitch count was up there, so I went to Matt (Heller),” Jensen said.
Middletown ended up scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh — both runs charged to Chana — before Heller put out the fire. He faced two batters and struck out one.
Clear Lake won a wild 12-11 decision with Middletown a little less than two weeks ago in Lakeport but the Mustangs couldn’t duplicate that kind of offensive output in the rematch while the Cardinals had no problem, banging out 15 hits in all, including a 4-for-4 day by Dillon Williams, who also doubled, knocked in four runs and scored four times. Heller and Jared Strate added two hits apiece while Strate also had two RBIs.
“We played good defense and swung it well again,” Jensen said.
Clear Lake played small ball to build a 4-1 lead over the first three innings. The Cards scored three runs in the second inning on a wild pitch, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.
The Cards sent nine players to the plate to score three more runs in the fourth and continued to build on their lead throughout the game as Chana took control on the mound. He finished with six strikeouts and walked four. After Clear Lake turned a double play to end the Middletown third, Chana retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth.
“He pitched OK, but we our chances early,” Middletown coach Brad Holt said of the 12 runners stranded by the Mustangs, nine in the first three innings.
Middletown did finish with eight hits and also drew four walks, all off of Chana. Travis Williams went 2-for-3 for the Mustangs, who scored their first run in the second inning.
Albert Ruske started for Middletown and took the loss, lasting 3 1/3 innings and allowing seven runs. Cody Chorjel relieved and went the next three innings, allowing five runs, before giving way to John Kelly.
Middletown finishes 7-7 in league and 10-13 overall. Holt said the Mustangs are on the bubble as far as securing an at-large berth in the Division IV playoffs but will apply.
