MIDDLETOWN — Justin-Siena scored three times in the top of the seventh inning to overtake and beat the Middletown Mustangs 6-4 in non-league varsity softball action on Tuesday afternoon at Middletown High School.
It was the second meeting this month between the two teams. Middletown (2-1) beat Justin-Siena 9-8 on March 2 in Napa, the Braves’ only loss in seven games this season.
“Walks and errors,” Middletown head coach Bob Gunion said of what fueled Justin-Siena’s winning rally in the seventh. “They just capitalized on that.”
Reliever Maddie Ferguson took the loss. She relieved Emma Hansen, who worked the first six innings, striking out four and walking three.
Middletown snapped a 1-all tie during a three-run bottom of the fifth as the Mustangs had four straight batters collect hits in the inning. Makaili Brown started things off with a double and scored on a Ferguson RBI single to give Middletown a 2-1 lead. After a single by Harper Moreno (2-for-4), Lily Martin (2-for-4) doubled home both runners to make it 4-1.
Justin-Siena got two of those runs back in the top of the sixth to cut Middletown’s lead to 4-3.
Jaidyn Brown had Middletown’s other hit.
“I like playing them,” Gunion said of the Braves. “We’re developing a rivalry, but it’s a competitive, good rivalry. Both of our games came down to who made the fewest errors.”
Justin-Siena is the first of four games for the Mustangs this week. They are home Thursday to play El Molino before hitting the road Friday for a 4 p.m. game at Fortuna. The Mustangs’ northern road swing ends Saturday with a game at Arcata, tentatively set to start at 1 p.m.
In other softball action Tuesday:
Ukiah 6, Clear Lake 4
At Lakeport, Clear Lake starting pitcher Shaelyn McIntire had to leave the game after four innings with shoulder pain and the Ukiah Wildcats went on to beat the Cardinals in non-league action.
The extent of McIntire’s injury wasn’t known as of Tuesday night, according to Clear Lake head coach Racheal Harmon, who said her veteran pitcher will have the injury checked out as soon as possible.
“She was in tears,” Harmon said of Clear Lake’s staff ace.
Raina Clifton replaced McIntire and worked the final three innings, allowing one run, striking out none and walking one.
“Raina is a solid pitcher, she throws strikes and we just play catch behind her,” Harmon said.
McIntire surrendered three runs in her final inning of work as the Wildcats pushed ahead 5-3 in the top of the fourth.
Clear Lake (1-2) scored twice in the bottom of the first to go up 2-1. The Cardinals made it 3-1 with another run in the second. Ukiah closed to 3-2 in the third before taking the lead for good in the fourth.
“Two of Shae’s (three) walks came in the inning and we made an error,” Harmon said Ukiah’s three-run outburst. “That was a rough inning.”
The Cardinals managed only six hits despite facing a Ukiah pitcher who didn’t throw the ball very hard.
“We weren’t patient at the plate and we need to keep our hands back,” Harmon said.
Joy Ingalls went 2-for-4 with a RBI for the Cardinals. Hailee Bussard went 1-for-4 with a double and a RBI and Alexeya Wurm went 1-for-3 with a RBI. Clifton and Shelby Ingham had the other Clear Lake hits.
The Cardinals play a split doubleheader Friday in Eureka. They take on Eureka at 2 p.m. followed by Arcata at 4 p.m.
Kelseyville 18, Upper Lake 8 (6 inn.)
At Kelseyville, the Kelseyville Knights pushed in front to stay with a nine-run bottom of the second inning and went on to beat the Upper Lake Cougars in non-league action. The game was called because of the 10-run rule with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
“We didn’t play nearly as sharp as we’re capable of,” Kelseyville head coach Jeff Bour said.
Bour said he went to his bench early, perhaps too early.
“They (Cougars) started to come back and I had to put a couple of my starters back into the game,” Bour added.
Upper Lake (1-4) scored six times in the top of the fourth to cut Kelseyville’s lead to 11-8, but the Cougars couldn’t get any closer. The Knights (2-1) picked up single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before bringing an early end to the game with a five-run fifth.
Both starting pitchers struggled with their control. Winner Ryann Taylor walked 10 and struck out four in 3 2/3 innings while Upper Lake’s Rylee Dalton walked 14 and struck out five while going the distance.
“That makes it hard,” Upper Lake head coach Nick Williamson said of trying to overcome double-digit bases on balls.
Samantha Reed, a call-up from Kelseyville’s junior varsity team, pitched 2 2/3 effective innings of relief, striking out four and walking only three.
“I was very pleased with the way Samantha pitched,” Bour said. “She threw strikes.”
Megan Holland went 4-for-5 with three RBIs to power Kelseyville at the plate and Taylor Hanson came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.
“I had some key hits from players who came off the bench,” Bour said with an eye toward Hanson’s day at the plate.
Maddy Barker went 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI for Kelseyville and Emily Sandoval went 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Paula Vargas and Paige Bour also doubled for the Knights.
“Barker had a pretty good day at the plate,” Bour said.
For Upper Lake, Hailey Reams went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Molly McCabe went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Laylah Medina also had two hits.
Upper Lake travels to Potter Valley on Thursday. The Cougars’ game Friday with Laytonville has been canceled. Kelseyville visits Fort Bragg on Friday.
