LAKEPORT — Madi Ferguson hit a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning as the Clear Lake Cardinals rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Willits Wolverines 11-4 in North Central League I softball action on Friday afternoon at Lakeport.
The Cardinals (2-1 league, 6-3 overall) spotted the Wolverines (0-2, 2-3) a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Willits made the most of three Clear Lake errors to push in front. Clear Lake halved that lead with two runs in the bottom of the second, then moved in front to stay during a three-run third when the big blow was Ferguson’s blast to straightaway center field following a Joy Ingalls single.
“We came out pretty flat but ended up turning it on right after Madi’s hit,” Clear Lake coach Morgan Psalmunds said. “Until then we were fighting for everything.”
Clear Lake’s defense settled down after an ugly top of the first.
“We threw it around all over place,” Psalmonds said.
Winning pitcher Shaelyn McIntire didn’t allow an earned run while scattering four Willits hits. She struck out seven, walked two and went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double.
Ingalls (3-for-4, RBI) and Lilli Hill (3-for-3, 2 RBIs) sparked the Clear Lake offense along with Ferguson (2-for-3, 3 RBIs).
Clear Lake hosts El Molino in a non-league game Saturday at 2 p.m.
In other softball action Friday:
St. Helena 5, Middletown 4
At St. Helena, Savannah McLaughlin was the hard-luck losing pitcher for the Middletown Mustangs against the St. Helena Saints.
McLaughlin allowed just two hits while striking out six and walking two. Middletown errors allowed the Saints to build a 5-0 lead after three innings. The Mustangs (0-2, 3-6) scored four times in the top of the fifth to make it a one-run game and threatened again in the sixth but ended up leaving the bases loaded.
“We could only pull off that one big inning,” Middletown coach Bob Gunion said. “We couldn’t get that timely hit (in the sixth).”
The Mustangs banged out 13 hits, including two each by Jessica Zell, Lily Martin, Mykayla Smith and Alle Vierra.
Cloverdale 14, Kelseyville 4
At Cloverdale, Tehya Bird pitched three innings of perfect ball, striking out eight of the nine batters she faced, before giving way to the bullpen in Cloverdale’s five-inning victory over the Kelseyville Knights.
Kelseyville broke through with four runs in the top of the fourth against reliever Vanessa Fisher. Two runs scored on Destiny Peters’ single, the Knights’ lone hit of the game, and another on a Makayla Boardman sacrifice fly. Cloverdale’s only error of the game also led to a run.
Of the nine batters who faced Bird, only Maddy Barker put the ball in play, grounding out to shortstop to lead off the top of the third inning.
“They are a good, solid team and she’s a great athlete,” Kelseyville coach Jeff Bour said of the Bird-led Eagles, who improved to 3-0 in league play and 8-0 overall. “I’ve never seen her throw the ball that hard.”
Cloverdale staked Bird to a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and it was 11-0 when she left the game. The junior also went 1-for-1 with three intentional walks, including one with the bases loaded.
Weather permitting, the Knights (0-2, 2-3) host Willits on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
