UPPER LAKE — The Upper Lake High School baseball and softball teams needed only five innings to notch lopsided North Central League II victories over the visiting Potter Valley Bearcats on Tuesday afternoon.
While Upper Lake’s baseball squad improved to 3-2 in league play and 3-3 overall with its 17-0 win, the Lady Cougars won their first game of the season with a 21-3 rout of the Bearcats.
Baseball
Diego Velasco shut out Potter Valley on two hits and never allowed a runner past first base. He struck out eight and walked one while registering the complete game.
“Diego pitched great,” Upper Lake head coach Brian Milhaupt said.
Velasco faced just three batters over the minimum.
“He was just pounding the strike zone,” Milhaupt said of Velasco, who threw only 68 pitches.
All three elements were there for the Cougars on Tuesday — pitching, hitting and defense (just one error) — and Milhaupt said that if his 2021 Upper Lake squad is going to be successful the rest of the way, they’ll need that every time out.
“If we play good fundamental baseball, we’re a pretty good team,” he said.
Upper Lake scored in every inning, putting four runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, six in the second, six in the third and one more in the fourth.
Johnny Gozony went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and Dylan Slater wetn 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI to lead Upper Lake’s offense. Jonathon Thiessen (1-for-2) and Richard Perez (1-for-1) added three RBIs apiece.
The Cougars are off until next Tuesday when they visiting Tomales. Two days later they are on the road again to play Anderson Valley in Boonville.
Softball
The Potter Valley Bearcats probably felt pretty good about scoring twice in the top of the first inning against Upper Lake, but the feeling didn’t last. The Cougars answered with a 10-run bottom of the first and continued to add to their lead the rest of the game.
Upper Lake (1-1 league, 1-2 overall) was helped by a collision between the Potter Valley pitcher and catcher that resulted in the pitcher leaving the game.
“They went to their second pitcher and later a third,” Upper Lake head coach Nick Williamson said. “It was just a rough day for them.”
Upper Lake’s bats pounded out 20 hits. Lexi Wurm (3-for-5) came up a triple shy of the cycle as she singled, doubled and homered, a three-run shot to left-center field in the first inning. Tristin Rhodes also had a big day with two doubles, two singles and three RBIs, and Taylar Minnis went 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs.
Winning pitcher Karlee Zimmerschied combined with reliever Minni on a three-hitter. Zimmerschied worked the first two innings, striking out four and walking one, while Minnis went the final three, striking out six and walking four. Zimmerschied also had three hits at the plate.
“They did a pretty good job of being patient,” Williamson said of Upper Lake’s hitters. “They were making good contact once we got going.”
The Cougars are off until next Tuesday when they travel to Tomales.
