Bal strikes out 20, homers in 5-4 extra-inning victory over Concord
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CONCORD >> Mariah Bal struck out 20 and hit a solo home Saturday as the Lower Lake Trojans beat Concord 5-4 in eight innings in the first game of a non-league softball doubleheader in Concord.
Bal was cruising along with a 4-0 lead until Concord tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the seventh to force extra innings. Lower Lake broke the tie with a run in the eighth.
Bal (2-for-3) nearly hit a second home run, settling for a run-scoring triple instead. Aliana Barnes (1-for-4) and Jamiya Lee-Ayers (1-for-4) also drove in runs for the Trojans. Kerrington Snyder also had a hit.
Bal scattered three hits and allowed only one earned run. She also walked six, throwing 148 pitches during her complete game.
Second game
Concord built a 9-2 lead through four innings of game two before Lower Lake (2-3-1) surged back to tie the game with six runs in the fifth and another in the sixth. The game was declared a tie after the Bears (2-4-1) failed to score in the bottom of the sixth.
Aly Aguirre, one of two Lower Lake pitchers, went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs while Lee-Ayers (1-for-4) hit a solo home run, one of seven Lower Lake hits. Kierstyn Lambert and Grace Reyes also had doubles, and Brialyn Anderson went 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Aguirre worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and seven runs (five earned) while striking out three and walking seven. Bal finished up, giving up two runs and two hits while striking out four.
No other details were reported to Lake County Sports.
Friday action
The Trojans opened their three-game road trip Friday and were no-hit in a 15-0 loss at Rio Vista. Winning pitcher Kiera Waggoner struck out six and walked one. The Knights pounded out 10 hits, three for extra bases, and scored 10 times in the bottom of the fourth inning to break the game wide open.
Rio Vista also took advantage of eight errors by the Trojans.
Aguirre took the loss, allowing three runs in one-plus innings. Bal allowed the other 12 runs while striking out three and walking six.
No other details were reported to Lake County Sports.
