LOWER LAKE >> Raindrops kept falling on the heads of the Rincon Valley Christian Eagles. So frequently that every varsity baseball game they had scheduled before Thursday’s contest at Lower Lake was rained out.
And that game was a washout for Rincon’s rainy-day people, who were mesmerized by the Trojans’ Hoke Wickard. who threw only 89 pitches while fashioning a 3-1 home victory, the Trojans’ fourth in five games.
Wickard, a sophomore at Lower Lake, tends to be the story every time he suits up. And it doesn’t matter what suit — football, basketball or baseball. The win was his second of the season. He spaced six hits, struck out five — including four in a row in the third and fourth innings — and walked no one. Only three balls hit by the Eagles left the infield.
The victory also served as notice that the Trojans want very badly to shed their doormat image in the North Central League I this season. League play opens next week.
As Lower Lake junior varsity coach Jim Peters, subbing for varsity coach John McCarthy put it, “It’s in the plans.”
On Thursday, Wickard was in command from the beginning. His Lower Lake mates spotted him three runs in the home half of the first and he made them stand up.
Shortstop Ethan Watson got the rally started by reaching first on one of the two errors the Eagles committed in the inning, stole second and crossed on the second error.
Third baseman Bobby Cruz, the only freshman on the Lower Lake roster, took advantage of the Rincon Valley miscues to score the second run after getting aboard with a single. Wickard, who reached on a force play scored the third run on an RBI single by second baseman Antonio Padilla.
Wickard faltered briefly in the seventh and final inning. But the Lower Lake defense helped him out by getting two outs on the bases. In fact, the game ended when catcher Isaiah Klein picked off a runner at first base. The Eagles had the potential tying runs at first and second, but Klein spoiled any chance of a comeback with his snap throw to first.
The Trojans had only six hits. Watson went 2-for-2 and Padilla went 2-for-3 with a RBI.
“We had great defense, but we are not hitting as well as we could,” said Peters.
Lower Lake is off until its April 1 league opener at Kelseyville
