LAKEPORT — Tempers flared nearly as often as the lead changed hands Wednesday afternoon as the Clear Lake Cardinals renewed their long and always eventful softball rivalry with the Cloverdale Eagles, rallying for a 6-5 North Central League I win at Lakeport.
The fifth and final lead change occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning when Clear Lake (4-1 league, 8-4 overall) scored twice to erase a 5-4 Cloverdale lead. Sierra Bruch, who had homered two innings earlier to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead, drew a leadoff walk, stole second and third and scored on winning pitcher Lilianna Cruz’s single to tie the game at 5-all. Rubi Ford pinch-ran for Cruz and scored what proved to be the winning run a couple of batters later on a Montana Wells sacrifice bunt.
Wells, Clear Lake’s left fielder, robbed a Cloverdale batter of a hit leading off the top of the seventh, which turned out to be an even bigger play when the next batter, Rylee Reasoner, singled for her third hit of the game. Reasoner’s two-run home run to left field in the top of the fifth gave the Eagles their final lead of the day at 5-4.
Cruz took matters into her own hands at that point, the sophomore left-hander striking out each of the next two Cloverdale batters to end a game in which assistant coaches from both teams were restricted to their respective dugouts by the umpiring crew. Later on a Cloverdale assistant was ejected.
First-year Clear Lake head coach Scott Schaefers called it an emotional roller coaster ride for both teams — and coaching staffs — given the many lead changes.
“It was an exciting see-saw game,” he said. “There were calls that went against both teams.”
Cloverdale went up 1-0 in the top of the second. Clear Lake pushed ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the third, then the Eagles answered with two runs in the top of the fourth for a 3-2 lead. Bruch’s two-run shot to left field in the bottom of the fourth gave Clear Lake the lead back at 4-3, but only until Reasoner’s homer in the top of the fifth made it 5-4 in the Eagles’ favor.
Reasoner reached base four times in all and was a real pain in the Cardinals’ side, according to Schaefers.
The game could have turned on any number of plays, one of which was Wells’ defensive gem to open the seventh inning.
“With Reasoner coming up next, that was a big play,” Schaefers said. “She made a nice catch.”
The NCL I race is certainly at a critical juncture heading into Friday’s round of games, which may or may not happen with rain in the forecast. Fort Bragg (5-0) visits Clear Lake (4-1) on Friday while St. Helena (5-0) travels to Middletown (3-3). On Monday, Fort Bragg hosts St. Helena in a doubleheader.
The loss to Clear Lake drops Cloverdale to 3-3.
Amber Smart (2-for-4) and Hailee Bussard (2-for-3) each had two hits for Clear Lake on Wednesday. Grace Gomez (1-for-2) also drove in a run.
Cruz finished with seven strikeouts and two walks. Four of the runs she allowed were earned.
