Laytonville pulls away late to beat UL 13-3

The tag was there in time but not the ball as Cheyanne Obedoza slides in with a run for Upper Lake. (Photo by Brian Sumpter - Record-Bee) — The tag was there in time but not the ball as Cheyanne Obedoza slides in with a run for Upper Lake. (Photo by Brian Sumpter – Record-Bee)

UPDATED: May 3, 2019 at 12:27 PM PDT

UPPER LAKE — In a non-league softball game that was close early on, the Laytonville Warriors struck for eight runs in the top of the sixth to 10-run the Upper Lake Cougars 13-3 in six innings Thursday afternoon in Upper Lake.

Laytonville, the North Central League III leader, improved to 6-3 overall with its win while Upper Lake fell to 2-7.

Upper Lake shortstop Cheyanne Obedoza fields a grounder and prepares to throw to first base. (Photo by Brian Sumpter - Record-Bee)

Thirteen walks issued by Upper Lake pitching and seven Cougars errors contributed greatly to Upper Lake’s late-inning breakdown. Starting pitcher Angel O’Sullivan left the game trailing only 5-3 but reliever Katlyn Minnis struggled to find the strike zone over the final two innings, walking seven.

“I was trying to get them (Warriors batters) on the speed change,” Upper Lake coach Nick Williamson said of the difference in velocity of pitches thrown by O’Sullivan and the harder-throwing Minnis, who opened the game at second base. “We kind of lost a bit of chemistry in the defense when we made the change.”

Upper Lake's Mallory Henry arrives safely at second base. (Photo by Brian Sumpter - Record-Bee)

O’Sullivan struck out three and walked six in her four innings of work.

“I thought she did pretty good,” Williamson said.

Upper Lake starting pitcher Angel O'Sullivan wipes her chin while talking things over with coach Nick Williamson. (Photo by Brian Sumpter - Record-Bee)

Upper Lake briefly tied the game 1-1 on O’Sullivan’s RBI double in the bottom of the third, but Laytonville pushed right back in front with a four-run fourth. The Cougars closed to 5-3 with two unearned runs in their half of the inning. Minnis worked a scoreless top of the fifth despite walking two, but was constantly behind in the count and paid the price during Laytonville’s big sixth inning.

Laytonville’s defense made a handful of nice plays, one of them coming in the bottom of the sixth to take a hit away from Upper Lake’s leadoff hitter.

Upper Lake reliever Katlyn Minnis looks in for the sign. (Photo by Brian Sumpter - Record-Bee)

The Cougars were limited to just three hits. Besides O’Sullivan RBI double, Coleen Pulido and Mallory Henry had singles.

“I was grateful they came down to play us,” Williamson said of the Warriors, who were a last-minute substitute for Anderson Valley, which canceled on the Cougars earlier in the week.