KELSEYVILLE >> Paige Bour’s RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning snapped a 1-all tie and the Kelseyville Knights went on to beat the Lower Lake Trojans 3-1 in a pitcher-dominated North Central League I softball game Thursday afternoon in Kelseyville.
Kelseyville (8-0, 13-1) and Cloverdale (7-0, 10-0) both won on Thursday, setting the stage for a first-place showdown Tuesday when the Knights visit the Eagles in the first of two meetings between the teams this season.
Lower Lake slipped to 3-5 in league and 8-6 overall, but it’s not for lack of effort. Of the Trojans’ five league losses, three have been by a single run and the other two, both to Kelseyville, have been by two and three runs.
“It’s frustrating,” Lower Lake coach Chris Emberson said.
What’s more, losing pitcher Shelby Sapeta pitched a four-hitter and allowed no earned runs against the Knights, striking out four and walking none.
“She threw a gem,” Emberson said.
“She pitched the ball really well,” Kelseyville coach Phil Psalmonds said. “Lower Lake has a good team.”
Unlike the first meeting between the two schools, a 5-2 Kelseyville win on April 3 in Lower Lake, winning pitcher Allison Bryant didn’t strike out 12 batters this time around. She fanned only two and walked just one, but the Knights were every bit up to the challenge on defense, including a key outfield assist by center fielder Bailey Couey, who cut down a runner trying to take third base, and a 6-4-3 double play that ended the game, the fifth straight game the Knights have logged at least one double play.
“Kelseyville plays such good defense and Bryant does a good job getting ball over the plate,” Emberson said.
Bour’s game-winning RBI single in the sixth came after back-to-back Lower Lake errors, including a 12-pitch at-bat during which Bryant eventually reached base on a dropped flyball in left field. Bryant later scored on a wild pitch to give the Knights an insurance run.
Lower Lake put its leadoff batter aboard in the top of the seventh but couldn’t take advantage.
“We had every opportunity to win but we made two key baserunning mistakes, one in the first inning and one later in the game where we had a runner thrown out by 15 feet,” Emberson said.
Lower Lake staked Sapeta to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by Adrianna Illia. Kelseyville tied the game in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Bib Hamner.
Nunn went 2-for-2 for Kelseyville and Tymeka Green went 1-for-3. Six different Trojans finished with a hit apiece – Patti McCleery, Mikelynn Rowe, Kayla Sanderson, Lily Griffin, Jordan Rivera, and Jackie Cooper.
Lower Lake plays a non-league split doubleheader Saturday at Chico High School. The Trojans face Chico at 11 a.m. and Durham at 1 p.m. They resume league play Tuesday at home against Fort Bragg.
In other softball action Thursday:
Upper Lake 19, RVC 0
At Upper Lake, having gone the better part of two months without a victory, the Upper Lake Cougars returned to the win column with a 19-0 win over Rincon Valley Christian in NCL II play.
It was the first league victory for the Cougars (1-3, 2-8) and only their second win overall. They scored at least two runs in every inning, highlighted by a seven-run third and a six-run fourth. The game was called after 4 ½ innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
“We showed up and played really well,” Upper Lake coach Nick Williamson said. “We hit the ball well, we had some good, smart baserunning, and we had a good defensive showing.”
The Cougars pounded out 19 hits and committed just two errors in support of winning pitcher Julia Mooney, who tossed a four-hitter. Rincon Valley Christian’s biggest scoring threat ended with shortstop Christina Wilson turning an unassisted double play. After gloving a line drive, she doubled off the runner at second base.
Adrianna Saldana went 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs to power Upper Lake’s offense. Other leaders were Molly McCabe (2-for-2, double, two RBIs), Hailey Reams (2-for-3, double), Cheyanne Obedoza (2-for-3, double), Mallory Henry (2-for-4), Maria Wade (2-for-4, RBI), and Wilson (2-for-4).
The Cougars play St. Vincent on Tuesday in Petaluma.
