MIDDLETOWN — Calling it one of his team’s more complete efforts of the season, the Middletown Mustangs made quick work of the visiting Lower Lake Trojans, rolling to a 13-1 varsity baseball victory in five innings Monday afternoon at Wes Martin Field.
“Starting off with seven runs in the first inning gave us a big comfort lead,” Middletown head coach Tyler Holt said. “And we did everything we could to keep it.”
Middletown (8-1 league, 9-9 overall) reached the .500 mark for the first time this season and is 2-0 so far in the second half of its North Central League I schedule, including a 5-4 win in eight innings Friday at home against a Cloverdale team that had won five in a row.
“We’re definitely starting the second half out pretty well,” Holt said. “That’s two wins and we’ve really brought our game around. We were smart on the bases, we were getting people over and getting people in. We’re definitely off to a hot start in the second half. They all showed up today.”
Solid plays in the field by Dax Green in left field and Micah Dymer at first base also contributed to Middletown’s strong outing, according to Holt, a first-year coach who has the Mustangs atop the NCL I standings, one-half game ahead of St. Helena (7-1).
Winning pitcher Noah Williams worked the first three innings for the victory, allowing no runs and one hit while striking out six and walking one. Bryan Riel finished up.
Middletown had an 11-0 lead before Lower Lake scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth. The Mustangs scored at least one run in every inning.
Green went 2-for-3, walked, scored twice and drove in two runs for the Mustangs while Williams went 2-for-3 with a RBI and Luke Hoogendoorn went 2-for-2 with a double, walk, two runs scored and a RBI. Zach Dubois doubled in his only official at-bat and drove in two runs. He also scored twice.
Middletown traveled to Lakeport on Tuesday to play Clear Lake. The Mustangs are on the road again Friday against Willits.
The loss drops Lower Lake to 0-8 in league play and 1-9 overall. The Trojans did not report any statistics. They were home against Fort Bragg on Tuesday.
