LOWER LAKE >> Shelby Sapeta limited the El Molino Lions to two hits and Jolean Scarborough went 4-for-4 and scored three times as the Lower Lake Trojans tuned up for their league opener on Friday with a 14-1 victory on Tuesday afternoon in Lower Lake.
Lower Lake won its fourth straight to improve to 6-3 on the season and will host Kelseyville next, the North Central League I opener for both squads.
“I think we have the potential to beat anybody if we bring our ‘A’ game to the field, but we also have the potential to lose to anybody if we play our ‘B’ or ‘C’ game,” Lower Lake coach Chris Emberson said when asked how he expects the Trojans to fare in the upcoming league race.
Sapeta took a shutout into the top of the fifth when two El Molino runners reached base on errors and another on a walk, leading to the Lions’ lone run. Lower Lake’s freshman pitcher buckled down at that point and struck out the heart of El Molino’s batting order, fanning the the Nos. 3-5 hitters to end the game.
Lower Lake collected 16 hits despite emptying its bench early on against the Lions, who trailed 12-0 after three innings. Katrina Rinoldi went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and Mikelynn Rowe (2-for-3) and Destiny Apodaca (1-for-3) drove in two runs apiece. Lily Griffin also had two hits for the Trojans.
Lower Lake wasted no time giving Sapeta a lead to work with, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning. The Trojans blew the game open two innings later with a nine-run third.
“We’re in a better spot right now than I thought we would be,” Emberson said of his young squad.
Sapeta struck out eight and walked two in her final start before league play begins.
“It’s a big game for both teams,” Emberson said of the Kelseyville game. “I think the winner is going to be the team that makes the fewest mistakes, doesn’t give the other team extra outs. That Kelseyville lineup is deep and Shelby is going to be tested.”
