HEALDSBURG >> Four games and four wins for the fast-starting Lower Lake Trojans after their 11-2 rout of the Healdsburg Greyhounds on Saturday evening at Recreation Park in Healdsburg.
Under the direction of first-year coach Jim Peters, who moved up from the junior varsity coaching ranks to take the varsity baseball job following the 2016 season, the Trojans are off to their best start in a long, long time. They are just one win shy of matching last year’s victory total of five.
“We wanted to see where we were as far as our offense and defense goes and we had 10 hits and didn’t make an error,” Peters said of the win over the Greyhounds (2-4), a North Coast Section Division IV playoff a team last season. “I’m really proud of the boys.”
Winning pitcher Bobby Cruz limited Healdsburg to five hits while striking out eight and walking one during his complete-game performance.
“He’s doing well,” Peters said of Cruz, who gave up two runs in the bottom of the second inning but nothing more.
Lower Lake (4-0) scored two runs in the top of the first inning for the early lead and two more in the top of the third to snap a 2-all tie. The Trojans broke the game wide open with a six-run fourth before adding a final insurance run in the sixth.
Izzac Carver went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, Ethan Watson went 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI, and Reed Diener went 2-for-4 to lead the Trojans at the plate. Cruz helped his own cause by doubling home two runs. Antonio Padilla also had a double.
Lower Lake travels to Calistoga today for a 4 p.m. game with the Wildcats. The Trojans return home Friday to play El Molino at 4 p.m.
Lower Lake 10, Tech 0
At Lower Lake, Jordan McGrath combined with Izzac Carver on a two-hit shutout Friday afternoon as the Lower Lake Trojans beat Technology High School of Rohnert Park in non-league action.
The Trojans won the game in five innings because of the 10-run rule. It ended in dramatic fashion as Ethan Watson stole home as the Tech catcher was throwing the ball back to the mound after a pitch to the plate.
“He was home before the pitcher had the ball,” Peters said of Watson. “It wasn’t a walk-off win, more like a run-off win.”
Lower Lake collected only three hits in the victory — singles by Watson, Carver and Austin Oranje — but made the most of the five walks issued by Tech pitching as well as five hit batsmen.
“I liked the way we played,” Peters said. “We can do better at the plate, but there wasn’t much we could do.”
Reed Diener didn’t record a hit but did collect three RBIs for the Trojans.
Lower Lake led 2-0 after one inning and 5-0 through two innings. The Trojans padded their lead with two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.
McGrath worked 3 1/3 innings for the victory, allowing one hit, striking out five and walking four. Carver finished up with 1 2/3 innings of one-hit relief, striking out two and walking none.
