LAKEPORT >> Cody Rybolt pitched a no-hitter and struck out 13 as the Clear Lake Cardinals shut out the Willits Wolverines 7-0 in North Central League I varsity baseball action on Tuesday afternoon in Lakeport.
Rybolt allowed only two Willits players to reach base, the result of walks issued in the third and fourth innings. The Wolverines advanced one runner as far as second base.
“His best overall game of the season, which goes without saying,” Clear Lake assistant coach John Garrison said of the senior’s 98-pitch gem. “And he threw 21 pitches in the seventh inning.”
Although Rybolt struck out the side in only one inning, he had at least one strikeout in every inning while winning his third straight start. He’ll pitch against two league title contenders in his final two starts – at Kelseyville on Tuesday and at Fort Bragg on May 15.
“He had everything going,” Garrison said of Rybolt. “His fastball was pretty good and he was overpowering kids.”
While Rybolt mixed in some off-speed pitches to keep the Willits batters honest, it was the fastball that did the most damage, according to Garrison.
“He was locating it up and down, in and out,” Garrison said.
Clear Lake (4-6 league, 7-9 overall) gave Rybolt a lead to work with and kept adding on. The Cardinals scored at least one run in the first four innings while opening up a 5-0 lead.
“We get him a cushion and he can just deal,” Garrison said.
Alex Adams went 2-for-3 for Clear Lake while both Jason Garrison (1-for-3) and Darius Ford (1-for-4) knocked in two runs apiece.
In other baseball action Tuesday:
Middletown 16, St. Helena 2
At Middletown, the Mustangs have been scratching out runs all season but that wasn’t the case against St. Helena. Against the visiting Saints, Middletown exploded for a season-best 16 runs, including a 13-run fourth inning when it sent 18 batters to the plate.
“As coaches, it was nice to be able to exhale and watch the game and not worry about the next move,” Middletown coach Jeff Mielke said. “We haven’t had many of those.”
Middletown (7-2, 13-3) is in a virtual tie with Fort Bragg (8-2) for the league lead. Kelseyville (7-3) and Cloverdale (6-4) are close behind as the NCL I race heads down the stretch.
Winning pitcher Thomas Cook went the distance for the Mustangs and received all kinds of run support as Middletown banged out 12 hits. Drake Harbison went 4-for-4 with a double and a RBI, Isaiah Moore went 2-for-3 with a double, solo home run and four RBIs, and Justin McDowell provided the biggest blow of the game, a grand slam to straightaway center field during the 13-run fourth inning.
Cloverdale 3, Kelseyville 2
At Cloverdale, Nathan Phillips drew the start in place of ailing starter Jacob Beck and took the loss against the Cloverdale Eagles.
Kelseyville (7-3, 9-8) scored a run in the top of the seventh to close the gap to 3-2 and there were runners at first and second with two outs when Jason Gentle hit a hard grounder to third base that the Eagles’ Drew Edens fielded with a backhand stab, leading to the final out of the game.
“They played great defense all day and their third baseman made at least five great plays, including that one,” Kelseyville coach Lou Poloni said of the last out.
The Knights had numerous scoring opportunities but struggled at the plate with runners in scoring position.
“We’re not built to win games 2-1,” Poloni said. “I don’t think we’ve won a game this year with only two runs. We hit the ball hard, but we came up short a few times where we needed to come through.”
Adrian Villalobos had three of Kelseyville’s four hits, including a double. Scott Sanchez doubled leading off the top of the seventh. Gentle (1-for-3) and Kyle Ashworth drove in the Knights’ runs.
As a result of the loss in the airtight NCL I standings, Kelseyville drops to third place behind Fort Bragg (8-2) and Middletown (7-2). Cloverdale is fourth at 6-4.
Fort Bragg 11, Lower Lake 3 (1st game)
Fort Bragg 9, Lower Lake 3 (2nd game)
At Lower Lake, the Fort Bragg Timberwolves (8-2) pushed to the top of the NCL I standings with a doubleheader sweep against the Lower Lake Trojans.
Lower Lake (1-9, 4-12) managed just eight hits on the day.
“We only made two errors for two games, so that’s a plus,” Lower Lake coach Jim Peters said. “But we’ve got to hit the ball more.”
Lower Lake stayed close in the first game, forcing Fort Bragg to go to one of its top pitchers, Garrett James. He protected the 5-3 lead he inherited by pitching scoreless sixth and seventh innings. The Timberwolves finally broke it open with a six-run seventh.
Austin Oranje took the loss for the Trojans, working 4 2/3 innings.
Izzac Carver went 2-for-4 for Lower Lake while Mike Taliaferro went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. JT Tinkler (1-for-3) also drove in a run and Semaj Clark went 2-for-3.
In game two, Fort Bragg scored two first-inning runs and it remained a 2-0 game until the Timberwolves broke through with seven runs in the top of the fifth. Lower Lake answered with three runs in the bottom half.
Winning pitcher Julian Clavelle went the distance, allowing just two hits – singles to Tinkler and Clark. Bobby Cruz took the loss.
Credo 16, Upper Lake 6
At Upper Lake, the Upper Lake Cougars are 0-8 in league play and 3-9 overall after losing to Credo High School of Rohnert Park in NCL II action.
Dalton Slater went 3-for-3 with a double and triple and also scored three times for the Cougars. Armando Santos went 2-for-2 with three RBIs.
Eddie Crandell was the losing pitcher.
JV baseball
Middletown 3, St. Helena 2
At Middletown, after escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the ninth inning, the Middletown Mustangs scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to edge the St. Helena Saints in a junior varsity thriller.
Isaac Perez and Will Aden hit back-to-back singles to open the Middletown ninth. One out later and with Perez at third base and Aden at second, Justin Hollingsworth grounded a ball to shortstop that was booted for an error as Perez raced home with the winning run.
Middletown missed a chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh of a 2-2 game. The Mustangs loaded the bases with one out but lined into a inning-ending double play.
“We did just enough,” Middletown coach Jon Hoogendoorn said as the Mustangs improved to 6-1 in the NCL I and 15-1 overall.
Clear Lake 15, Willits 5
At Willits, Ryan Ollenberger went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Liam Wynacht reached base four times — twice on hits and twice on walks — as the Clear Lake Cardinals roughed up Willits in JV action.
“We came out and hit the ball right out of the gate,” Clear Lake coach Ed Pepper said.
The Cardinals had five-run innings in both the third and fifth.
Colby Krul pitched 4 1/3 innings for the victory in the five-inning game. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a RBI. Jaron Mertle went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
