UKIAH >> Winning pitcher Jessica Valencia slugged a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning on Friday afternoon as the Montgomery Vikings of Santa Rosa shut out the Clear Lake Cardinals 4-0 in a first-round softball game at the Ukiah Tournament.
Clear Lake (4-3) draws either Casa Grande or Eureka today in the consolation semifinals at 10 a.m. Win or lose, the Cardinals play again at 2 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.
Valencia already had a 2-0 lead to work with when she helped her own cause in the third. After Clear Lake missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the first, the Vikings jumped on losing pitcher Rachel Wingler for two runs in the bottom half, including a triple to open the inning.
The Cardinals had runners at second and third with one out in the top of the first but couldn’t score. They missed another chance in the seventh with a runner at third and no outs.
Clear Lake coach Doug Wingler said he wasn’t discouraged by the loss.
“We’ve given ourselves the opportunity against these bigger teams but haven’t gotten that big hit when we needed it,” he said. “Montgomery had the best defense we’ve come up against this season … they’re really solid. We hit a couple of balls that normally would have gotten down, but they caught them.”
Mina Werner went 2-for-3 for Clear Lake, which had five hits to Montgomery’s four. Psalmonds, Shyanne Chapin and Alicia Ledesma had one hit apiece.
