Clear Lake varsity baseball improves to 2-0 in league play, wins fifth straight
Lake County Sports on Facebook
UPPER LAKE >> Three Clear Lake High School pitchers limited Upper Lake to a single hit and run on Wednesday afternoon as the Cardinals reeled off their fifth straight victory, a 2-0 win over the Cougars in North Central League I varsity baseball action at Upper Lake.
The news wasn’t all bad for Upper Lake, which had All-Leaguer pitcher/outfielder Kyler Brothers came in the lineup after the senior missed the team’s first seven game of the season while recovering from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
“It’s going to be really nice, especially the way he throws,” Upper Lake head coach Don Meri said of Brothers, who in his first taste of action pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, striking out four and walking none.
Brothers also had Upper Lake’s only hit, his leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh breaking up a combined no-hit bid by the Cardinals.
“All three of my pitchers had command of the strike zone,” Clear Lake head coach Brian Horne said of starter Peyton Portlock and relievers David Cruz and Zane McAuley. “I was proud of all of them.”
Portlock worked the first two innings for the win. Cruz followed with two more innings of hitless relief before McAuley pitched the fifth, sixth and seventh, striking out five and walking none.
Clear Lake (2-0 league, 7-2 overall) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, putting up five runs in the top of the first inning against losing pitcher George Rahmer. The Cardinals had a 5-0 lead after two innings, a 7-0 lead after three innings, and a 9-0 lead after four innings.
The Cardinals’ final two runs came in the top of the seventh. Brothers led off the seventh with a hit in front of Clear Lake’s charging right field Levi Ewing, who nearly threw out Brothers at first base.
While Ewing’s strong throw got to first baseman Sawyer Smith in a hurry, it was just a bit off the mark, allowing Brothers to leg out the hit and break up the no-hitter.
“A more accurate throw probably gets him,” Horne said.
Brothers eventually came around to score on a RBI groundout by Jimmy Sanchez.
Clear Lake runners were on the move throughout the game, stealing 21 bases.
“We’re still learning how to how hold runners on,” Meri said.
Jesse Hayes (2-for-3) stole four bases and scored three times while McAuley (2-for-4, RBI_) Cruz (2-for-4, RBI), AJ Bruch (1-for-2), Fabian Moreno (1-for-2, 2 RBIs), and Johnny Gonzales (3-for-5, 2 RBIs) all had three steals. Ewing (0-for-2) drove in two more runs while Smith (1-for-2) and Ryken Villanueva (1-for-3, double) also knocked in runs.
Both teams are back in action Friday at 4 p.m. Clear Lake hosts Fort Bragg while Upper Lake travels to Cloverdale.
