HEALDSBURG >> The Healdsburg Greyhounds scored two runs in the sixth inning to tie it before walking off in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 3-2 victory over the Clear Lake Cardinals in non-league varsity baseball action Saturday night at Recreation Park in Healdsburg.
It was the sixth game of the season for Healdsburg (2-4) while Clear Lake (0-1) was making its season debut. The Cardinals carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth behind starting pitcher Ryan Damiata before the Greyhounds rallied to tie it.
Healdsburg won the game in the seventh with reliever Isaac Lewis opening the inning. Back-to-back Clear Lake errors led to the winning run scoring.
“Our defense was actually great until then,” Clear Lake first-year coach Rick Moreno said.
Clear Lake went up 1-0 in the top of the third on a RBI groundout by Damiata (1-for-4) and went ahead 2-0 in the sixth on a RBI groundout by Hunter Daily.
The Cardinals had numerous opportunities to add their lead in the first four innings, according to Moreno, but ended up stranding multiple runners in scoring position.
Max De Leon had two of the Cardinals’ four hits and also scored their second run. Clear Lake also received eight walks but couldn’t take advantage of it.
Damiata took a shutout into the sixth inning. He worked 5 1/3 innings, struck out two and walked only one.
Despite the loss, Moreno said he wasn’t disappointed with the Cardinals’ play.
“They played as a team, talked it up and had each others backs,” Moreno said. “We just didn’t get the hits when we needed them.”
Clear Lake returns to action today at 4 p.m. in Rohnert Park against Technology.
