LOWER LAKE >> Sneaking a game in before another storm forecast to hit the area strikes, the Lower Lake Trojans pushed up their non-league contest with the Calistoga Wildcats from Tuesday to Monday and won 12-2 in five innings at Lower Lake High School.
Lower Lake (2-2) had to do some heavy field maintenance during the weekend to create playable conditions for Monday’s game according to Lower Lake head coach Jim Peters, who had to cancel a scheduled non-league doubleheader Saturday against Fortuna because of a soaked Lower Lake field.
“Homeplate was two inches under water,” Peters said. “We had a Sump pump going to get the water off the field. We spent two hours on Saturday getting the water off the infield.”
Much like the rainy weather so far this month has eased drought concerns in the area, Lower Lake ended a drought of sorts against Calistoga as its bats finally came alive to the tune of 11 hits against the Wildcats, including a pair of doubles.
“We went from having more errors than hits (in our last game) to more hits than errors,” Peter said. “We only had two errors today.”
Winning pitcher Bobby Cruz didn’t need a whole lot of support as he combined with reliever Gavin Watson on a one-hitter. Cruz worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing the lone Calistoga hit and both runs, only one of which was earned. He struck out seven and walked four. Watson recorded the final two outs, striking out one.
The two teams traded runs early before Lower Lake pushed ahead to stay, snapping a 2-2 tie with a run in the bottom of the third. The Trojans continued to add on from there, scoring twice in the fourth and breaking the game open with a seven-run fifth that eventually brought the 10-run mercy rule into play.
Joe Boyd went 3-for-3 with a ground-rule double to spark Lower Lake’s offense. JT Tinkler added two hits and two RBIs while Austin Oranje singled and doubled.
Calistoga’s lone hit was a RBI single in the top of the first inning, a soft line drive to the outfield.
The Trojans’ next scheduled game is Saturday against Technology at Rohnert Park.
