FORT BRAGG >> Being a veteran club, the Cardinals are also a patient one and that quality served them well on Friday as they didn’t score until the top of the sixth inning in a 4-0 victory over the Fort Bragg Timberwolves, a North Central League I softball game that featured a Rachel Wingler no-hitter along with 11 strikeouts.
“We had to grind one out but we typically have a grinder when we play over here,” Clear Lake coach Doug Wingler said. “We stayed true to what we do. We didn’t panic and we kept putting the ball in play.”
Wingler breezed through the Fort Bragg batting order for five innings. She finally got a lead to work with in the sixth when Anessia Jack grounded out to first base to drive in a runner from third.
Fort Bragg’s only threat came in the bottom of the sixth when back-to-back errors by the Cardinals had the Timberwolves in business with two runners aboard. They were at second and third when Wingler struck out Fort Bragg’s No. 3 hitter to end the inning.
Clear Lake provided its pitcher with some breathing room in the top of the seventh, scoring three times on an error and back-to-back RBI doubles by Alicia Ledesma (2-for-4) and Wingler (2-for-4). Wingler’s two-bagger bounced off the top of the fence, one of two balls she hit off the fence during the game. The inning opened with freshman Lilli Hill drawing a walk.
“That was a big at-bat,” Wingler said.
Clear Lake finished with nine hits and stranded seven runners, most of them in the early innings.
“We had great opportunities but Fort Bragg played very well on defense,” Wingler said.
Clear Lake is now 10-0 in league and 15-4 overall. If the Cardinals sweep St. Helena in a home doubleheader on Tuesday, they will clinch no worse than a tie for the league championship. They also play at Kelseyville on Thursday and at home a week from today against Lower Lake in their league and regular-season finale. Wins in three of those four games gives Clear Lake the undisputed league title.
“We’re not taking anything for granted,” Wingler said.
