ST. HELENA >> It took 10 innings to do it, but the St. Helena Saints put an end to Middletown’s bid for a perfect season on Friday, beating the Mustangs 4-3 in a North Central League I junior varsity baseball game at St. Helena.
“We wanted to go undefeated, but ultimately we want to win the league,” Middletown coach Jon Hoogendoorn said of the Mustangs’ first loss of the season.
Middletown (9-1 league, 17-1 overall) had multiple opportunities to win the game down the stretch but couldn’t advance runners after getting the first two batters aboard in three consecutive innings.
“I thought we were kind of selfish,” Hoogendoorn said. “Instead of moving runners along we were trying to do it with one big swing.”
Feeling the pressure of an undefeated season, the Mustangs might benefit from the loss in the long run, according to Hoogendoorn.
“This should take the pressure off us a little bit,” he said.
Cameron Luis started for the Mustangs and worked four innings. Jack Sisson went the rest of the way and took the loss.
Jaden Trueblood went 2-for-4 with a double and scored two of Middletown’s runs. Aidan Skinner went 1-for-3 with a double and a RBI.
Middletown plays its final home game Tuesday against Willits at 4 p.m.
In other JV baseball action Friday:
Clear Lake 13, Cloverdale 2 (1st game)
Clear Lake 17, Cloverdale 1 (2nd game)
At Cloverdale, the Clear Lake Cardinals swept the Cloverdale Eagles in a league doubleheader, winning both games in five innings because of the 10-run rule.
Abe Ojeda tossed a one-hitter in the opener in his 2017 pitching debut.
“That was the first time he was on the mound for us this season,” Clear Lake coach Ed Pepper said.
Ojeda struck out eight and walked four. He also helped himself out at the plate by going 1-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.
Blair Hayes went 2-for-3 with four RBIs while Preston Jones went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and three RBIs for the Cardinals (7-4, 7-6). Chance Durnell added two hits and a RBI.
In the second game, Hayes pitched four innings for the victory, striking out five.
At the plate, Tyler Tucker went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, Durnell went 3-for-4 with a RBI, and Ojeda, Hayes, Jones, Dylen Mitchell and JT Hanson added two hits apiece. Bo Daskam went 1-for-3 with three RBIs.
“My guys did a great job,” Pepper said.
Clear Lake did everything it could to keep the score down in the second game, something both the host Eagles and the game umpires appreciated, according to Pepper.
“After the second inning we went station to station on hits, didn’t advance on passed balls or wild pitches,” Pepper said.
Clear Lake plays at Lower Lake on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
