KELSEYVILLE >> The Middletown High School junior varsity baseball team moved closer to winning some share of the North Central League I championship on Friday with a 13-2 victory in six innings over the Kelseyville Knights at Kelseyville.
Middletown improved to 11-1 in league and 19-1 overall and holds a one-game lead over the Fort Bragg Timberwolves, who suffered their second league loss on Friday in a 2-1 setback to the Clear Lake Cardinals. If the Mustangs beat the Timberwolves on Tuesday in Fort Bragg, they’ll clinch the outright championship. If they lose, they can still gain no worse than a share of the title with a win on Thursday at Willits.
Isaac Perez pitched five innings for the win against Kelseyville, striking out four and walking one. He also helped himself at the plate by going 2-for-3. Drake Harbison (2-for-5) drove in three runs for the Mustangs and Jack Sisson (1-for-3) knocked in two. Jimmy Rockwell (2-for-4), Jon Hoogendoorn Jr. and Nico Barrio (2-for-3) also drove in runs.
Clear Lake 2, Fort Bragg 1
At Fort Bragg, Brady McGuire’s RBI single and Abe Ojeda’s RBI groundout in the top of the second inning gave the Clear Lake Cardinals a 2-1 lead that they would not relinquish against the Fort Bragg Timberwolves.
Winning pitcher Darius Ford helped see to that, working 6 2/3 innings for the victory. He scattered four hits and allowed just the one run, that in the bottom of the first. Ford struck out two and walked two. Chance Durnell recorded the final out to pick up the save.
Ojeda, Durnell, Julian Perez, Blair Hayes and Josh Damiata also had hits for the Cardinals, who improved to 9-4 in league play and 9-6 overall.
The Cardinals wrap up their season Tuesday at home against St. Helena.
