LAKEPORT >> Now that it has clinched at least a tie for the North Central League I title, the Clear Lake High School softball team can take aim on perfection. To do that the Cardinals need wins in their final two league games against Kelseyville on Thursday in Kelseyville and on either Friday or Saturday at home against Lower Lake.
Clear Lake improved to 12-0 in the NCL I standings and 17-4 overall on Tuesday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of the St. Helena Saints, who were the home team in game one and the visiting team in game two. Clear Lake won 12-2 in six innings in the opener and 15-4 in five innings in the nightcap.
“We played well in both games,” Clear Lake coach Doug Wingler said. “We were swinging the bats well, we put a lot of pressure on them with our baserunning and for the most part we fielded it pretty well.”
Clear Lake needs to win one of its two remaining games to clinch the outright league title, something Wingler said he and his players both want.
“We definitely want to get one out of the two and we would love to run the table,” he added.
Anessia Jack went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in game one while Emily Psalmonds, Mina Werner and Shaynne Chapin added two hits apiece.
Winning pitcher Rachel Wingler struck out nine and walked none while allowing just one earned run.
Clear Lake 10-runned the Saints against in game two, which was called after 4 ½ innings. Wingler pitched four of the five innings and allowed no runs while striking out nine and walking one in two separate stints. Lilli Hill pitched one inning, the fourth, and allowed all four St. Helena runs.
Chapin went 3-for-3 to lead the Cardinals at the plate while Psalmonds went 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI.
