FORT BRAGG — The Lower Lake Trojans had a runner thrown out at the plate in the top of the fifth before their North Central League I softball game with Fort Bragg was called because of rain in the bottom half of the inning with the Timberwolves winning 1-0.
Fort Bragg (8-3 league, 9-6 overall) scored in the bottom of the second when Emmi Paoli drew a walk, stole second and third, and scored on a single by Lemara Hendricks. Winning pitcher Cassiti Baroni made that run stand up although the Trojans (2-10, 3-12) threw a scare her way in the fifth.
With rain falling, Mirabel Myers was awarded first base on catcher’s interference, stole second and moved to third on a single by Marriah Perez. Keeley Parks drew a walk and when ball four got away from the catcher, Myers broke for the plate, hesitated halfway down the line, and got in a rundown between third and home. She was tagged out sliding into the plate.
Perez had the only Lower Lake hit as Baroni struck out 11 and walked four. Losing pitcher Parks struck out four and walked four.
“I’m pretty happy,” Lower Lake head coach Tara Downey said of the Trojans’ outing against a Fort Bragg team that entered play tied with Cloverdale for second place in the NCL I standings. “I guess the girls needed a challenge and they had it today.”
Downey was not only referring to the challenge presented by the Timberwolves, last year’s league champions, but by the weather.
“We had no rain on the way up here and no rain during warmups,” Downey said. “Once the game started it began to rain.”
The two teams were barely an inning into the game when play was delayed a half hour because of the rain, according to Downey.
Fort Bragg was hitting in the bottom of the fifth when the game was finally stopped because of the unsafe conditions.
“It was dumping on us, we couldn’t play anymore,” Downey said.
Lower Lake’s coach gave high marks to her defense, including second baseman Kaitlyn Klein.
“She made some nice plays,” Downey said. “We played real good defense.”
Fort Bragg beat Lower Lake 7-0 in the first league meeting between the two teams April 7 in Lower Lake. The Trojans are home Friday to play undefeated league leader St. Helena at 4 p.m.
