KELSEYVILLE — Brock Barrick and Andrew Huggins combined on a one-hit shutout Wednesday afternoon as the Kelseyville Knights broke open a close game with a seven-run fourth inning and beat Upper Lake 10-0 in non-league varsity baseball action at Lloyd Larson Field.
The game was stopped in the bottom of the fifth because of the 10-run mercy rule.
“They kept it close,” Kelseyville head coach Billy Shaul said of the Cougars (1-1), who trailed just 2-0 going to the bottom of the fourth. “I know they’re young, but they’ve got athletes. If their pitchers can throw strikes, they’re going to be fine.”
“They’re a well-coached team,” Upper Lake head coach Brian Milhaupt said of the Knights (2-5). “They’re always a good fundamental team and it’s good for us to see a good team playing baseball the right way. It allows us to gauge where we’re at.”
Kelseyville’s seven-run bottom of the fourth was greatly aided by walks and Upper Lake errors, plus a couple of timely hits from Tyler Bryant (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) and Hunter Keener (2-for-3, RBI).
“We were a little lackadaisical the first few innings, but we were more patient (at the plate),” Shaul said of the fourth inning. “We got a couple of walks and they made a couple of errors in the inning to get things going.”
Kelseyville sent 11 batters to the plate before the inning ended.
Losing pitcher Johnny Gozony went the first four innings but didn’t have the benefit of the kind of defense Barrick and Huggins received, according to Milhaupt. The Knights didn’t commit a single error in the field while the Cougars were charged with four errors.
Zayne Barker anchored Kelseyville’s defense from his shortstop position, according to Shaul.
“He made every routine play look easy and he had one nice backhand play to end the top of the fifth,” Shaul said.
Barrick worked the first four innings for the win, striking out five and walking two. He allowed Upper Lake’s only hit, a clean single up the middle by designated hitter Blaine Rhodes with one out in the top of the first. Rhodes eventually moved up to second on catcher’s interference, the only Upper Lake runner to make it that far.
Huggins relieved Barrick in the top of the fifth and induced three straight groundouts.
Barrick also helped his own cause, going 1-for-3 with a RBI. Jon Dougherty, Luke Watkins and Kyle Watkins had the Knights’ other hits.
Milhaupt said his team is moving in the right direction.
“We’ll get it figured out,” he said.
Upper Lake returns to action Friday with a doubleheader at Point Arena beginning at 2 p.m. Kelseyville’s next scheduled game isn’t until its North Central League I opener March 25 against Cloverdale.
