LAKEPORT — Clear Lake snapped a 2-2 tie with five runs in the fifth inning to win the opener 7-2 and went on to beat the St. Helena Saints 12-1 in the second game of a North Central League I softball doubleheader on Friday in Lakeport.
Clear Lake (9-2 league, 14-4 overall) may have been a bit lethargic in game one, according to coach Phil Psalmonds.
“After a big rivalry game, we were a little sluggish,” he said of a 8-0 victory over archrival Kelseyville on Thursday. “Once we got going we were OK. We took care of business in the second game.”
Lilli Hill’s sacrifice fly touched off a decisive five-run rally for the Cardinals in the opener, snapping a 2-2 tie. Winning pitcher Shaelyn McIntire followed with a two-run double.
McIntire went the distance in both games for Clear Lake. She struck out five and walked three in the opener and came back in the five-inning second game to strike out six and walk none. As impressive as that was, one of her teammates, Joy Ingalls, had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a RBI in game one and 4-for-4 with a double and a RBI in game two.
“She leads our team in average,” Psalmonds said.
Clear Lake’s defense also had a big day, especially shortstop Madi Ferguson.
“She had an amazing day, both games,” Psalmonds said.
Other standouts were catcher Shelby Ingham, a sophomore, and freshman second baseman Raina Clifton, according to Psalmonds.
“Ingham made a dive head first out in front of the plate to catch a ball,” Psalmonds said.
The Cardinals racked up 13 hits in the second game. Besides Ingalls, McIntire went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs and Hill went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Ferguson, Emma Boatright and Lexi Wurm also had doubles.
Clear Lake returns to action Tuesday at home against Kelseyville at 4 p.m.
Kelseyville 22, Willits 4 (5 inn.)
At Kelseyville, Paige Bour went 4-for-4 with two doubles and five RBIs to lead the Kelseyville Knights past the Willits Wolverines in a five-inning game.
Kelseyville (4-7, 6-8) sent 19 batters to the plate and scored 14 times in the top of the second inning to move out to a 20-2 lead.
Both of Bour’s doubles just missed being home runs.
“One hit the top of the fence, the other hit the bottom of the fence,” Kelseyville coach Jeff Bour said.
Bour wasn’t the only Knight who had a good day at the plate. MJ Boardman went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs, Destiny Peters went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and winning pitcher Mikayla Guistolise went 2-for-2 with three RBIs.
Guistolise pitched all five innings, striking out six and walking three.
Kelseyville hits the road Tuesday to play Clear Lake at 4 p.m.
Lower Lake 10, Middletown 0
At Middletown, the Lower Lake Trojans took one step forward and two steps back as they shut out and nearly no-hit the Middletown Mustangs in a six-inning game.
Winning pitcher Shelby Sapeta struck out 11 and walked one. The only hit she allowed came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Middletown’s Maddie Ferguson bunted out in front of the plate. Lower Lake catcher Mikelynn Rowe nearly caught the ball but it trickled away as Ferguson raced down the first-base line.
“That’s a tough way to lose a no-hitter,” Lower Lake coach Dave Milano said.
“She’s on a good roll,” Middletown coach Bob Gunion said of Sapeta. “She’s got real command and she showed it again today.”
The news wasn’t all good for Lower Lake (7-2, 12-6). Milano said the team’s top hitter, Xelin Fred-Mota, and its quickest player, Marnae Johnson, are academically ineligible for the remainder of the season.
“Fred-Mota is the anchor in the middle of our lineup,” Milano said. “And you can’t replace Marnae’s speed.”
Rowe went 2-for-4 with a triple and a RBI for Lower Lake, Lily Griffin went 2-for-4 with a double, Kayla Doud went 2-for-3 with a RBI, and Sapeta helped herself with two hits and two RBIs.
Losing pitcher Savannah McLaughlin struck out two and walked two.
Lower Lake is on the road Monday against Willits before returning home Tuesday for a doubleheader with St. Helena. Middletown (1-9, 4-13) is on the road Tuesday against undefeated Cloverdale.
