LAKEPORT >> Two games, two wins and still no errors for the Clear Lake High School varsity baseball team after its 13-1 non-league victory over the Technology Titans on Friday afternoon in Lakeport.
Clear Lake (2-0) is off to a solid start after outscoring its first two opponents by a combined 25-3. While the bats and pitching are certainly doing their part in the early going, so is a Cardinals defense that hasn’t made a mistake yet. About the only thing Clear Lake didn’t accomplish on Friday was to preserve the no-hitter of pitcher Isaac Lewis, who lost it in the top of the fifth when Technology’s leadoff hitter dumped a single into shallow center field.
The Titans were able to scratch out a run in the top of the first when Lewis struggled a bit, walking one and hitting another.
“He threw 23 pitches in the first,” Clear Lake assistant coach John Garrison said. “Then he settled down. He kept the ball in the strike zone and let his defense work for him.”
Lewis struck out four and walked three while settling for a one-hitter.
Clear Lake’s offense wiped out Technology’s short-lived lead with a four-run bottom of the first inning. The Cardinals added two runs in the second before putting the game out of reach with a six-run third inning fueled by four hits, including a two-run double by Cody Rybolt. Clear Lake added another insurance run in the fourth for a 13-1 lead.
The game was called because of the 10-run mercy rule after Technology failed to score in the top of the fifth.
Lewis (2-for-2, 2 RBIs), Chris White (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) and Jason Garrison (2-for-4, RBI) sparked the Cardinals at the plate.
Clear Lake is off until March 19 when it travels to Rohnert Park for a rematch with Tech at 4 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Technology’s female starting second baseman, senior Kayli Worden, went 0-for-2 in her only two plate appearances. She struck out in her first at-bat and grounded into a fielder’s choice in her final at-bat.
In other baseball action Friday:
Upper Lake 13, Laytonville 1
At Upper Lake, Armando Santos, Andrew Brackett and Eddie Crandell combined on a five-inning no-hitter as the Upper Lake Cougars defeated the Laytonville Warriors in non-league action. A doubleheader had been scheduled but only one game was played.
Santos pitched a no-hitter last month in Upper Lake’s season-opening 12-1 win at Calistoga and he worked four strong inning against Laytonville before being pulled from the game.
“He’s our best pitcher and we wanted to save him for Lower Lake,” Upper Lake coach Billy Santos said of a non-league game the Cougars have scheduled Monday in Lower Lake. “We didn’t want him to overuse him (today). He threw 61 pitches.
“He doesn’t throw overly hard, but he’s deceptive,” Santos said of his staff ace.
Santos struck out five and walked only one. Laytonville loaded the bases with one out against reliever Andrew Brackett in the top of the fifth, at which point he was relieved by Eddie Crandell. A run-scoring fielder’s choice plated the Warriors lone run before Crandell struck out the final batter of the game.
The Cougars (2-1) stole 15 bases against Laytonville but their situational baserunning left a lot to be desired, according to Santos, who said Upper Lake ran into too many outs on the bases.
“We get too aggressive when we shouldn’t,” Santos said.
Upper Lake banged out 12 hits in the victory. Dalton Slater went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three stolen bases, Diego Velasco went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two stolen bases, Rylan Robinson went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and four stolen bases, and Darren Swaney went 2-for-2. Brackett (1-for-3) drove in three runs.
JV baseball
Clear Lake 13, Anderson Valley 0
At Boonville, Colby Krul shut out the Anderson Valley Panthers on four hits, struck out five and walked one as the Clear Lake Cardinals improved to 2-0 with a five-inning non-league victory. The game was called after the bottom of the fifth because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Liam Wayment went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to spark Clear Lake’s offense. Jaron Mertle (1-for-4) also drove in two runs and Chance Durnal (1-for-4) had one RBI. AJ Adams and Andrew Tramble contributed hits as well.
The Cardinals host Upper Lake on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Middletown 6, Liberty Ranch 3
At Galt, Jimmy Rockwell pitched five innings for the victory and Will Aden contributed a two-run double to break open a close game as the Middletown Mustangs knocked off Liberty Ranch in non-league action.
Aden went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in the win as Middletown improved to 2-0. He also pitched two innings in relief of Rockwell to record the save.
“Both of them threw really well,” Middletown coach Jon Hoogendoorn said of Rockwell and Aden. “They have some good hitters. Liberty Ranch is a pretty good JV team.”
Isaac Perez had a productive day at the plate for the Mustangs, going 1-for-2 with a double, one RBI and scoring three times. Rockwell and Nico Barrio also had run-scoring hits.
Middletown is home Tuesday to play Eureka and home again on March 17 for a doubleheader against Healdsburg.
