LAKEPORT — The Montgomery Vikings built a 6-0 lead en route to a 13-7 victory over the Clear Lake Cardinals in non-league softball action on Monday afternoon in Lakeport.
Clear Lake (4-2) closed to 6-3 before Montgomery put the game away with a five-run sixth inning. The Cardinals scored four runs over the final two innings to keep it interesting.
“It could have honestly gone the other way if we don’t make those (four) errors,” Clear Lake coach Morgan Psalmonds said. “The game was closer than the final score.”
Montgomery also came up with a few more clutch hits than the Cardinals, according to Psalmonds.
“We left too many runners on base,” she said.
Losing pitcher Shay McIntire tossed a complete game, striking out 11 and walking six.
The Cardinals banged out 11 hits – just one less than Montgomery – including triples by Lilli Hill (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) and Raina Clifton (2-for-4). Hill also doubled. Joy Ingalls finished 3-for-5 and Madi Ferguson (1-for-3) knocked in three runs.
On Saturday, Clear Lake wrapped up play in the Cloverdale Tournament by beating Fortuna 11-0 in the third-place game, closing out a 2-1 tournament run. McIntire blanked the Huskies on just one hit in the six-inning game, a clean single with two outs in the top of the fifth inning.
“It was a line drive to right field,” Psalmonds said.
Fortuna had only one other baserunner, that coming when McIntire hit a Huskies batter. She struck out three and walked none.
Clear Lake scored in five of six innings, including a four-run fifth and a three-run sixth, at which point the game was called because of the 10-run rule.
Sara Ogden went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs to spark Clear Lake’s 12-hit attack. Ingalls, Ferguson, Clifton (2-for-4, 2 RBIs, 3 runs) and Shelby Ingham added two hits apiece.
McIntire and Ferguson were named to the All-Tournament team.
“We did pretty good overall,” Psalmonds said of Clear Lake’s tournament performance.
The Cardinals head back to Cloverdale (4-0) on Thursday to face the defending league champions in the North Central League I opener for both teams. First pitch is 4 p.m.
“Anything can happen,” Psalmonds said.
