Brayton Thomas drives in five runs as KHS varsity baseball goes to 3-0 in league play
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MIDDLETOWN >> Brayton Thomas knocked in five runs and Brock Barrick hit his second home run of the season Monday afternoon as the Kelseyville Knights built a 9-0 lead while beating the Middletown Mustangs 14-4 in six innings at Wes Martin Field.
Gene Holdenried pitched a seven-hitter while receiving 12 hits of support from his offense, including three hits apiece from Tyler Bryant (3-for-4, RBI) and Max Hommer (3-for-5, RBI). Barrick homered in the top of the fifth inning, sending an 0-2 pitch over the center field wall.
Thomas (2-for-3) was an even bigger thorn in Middletown’s side as he drove in a run with a sacrifice fly as part of Kelseyville’s five-run first inning, doubled home two more runs in the fourth, and singled home two runs in the fifth as the Knights (3-0 league, 8-2 overall) moved out to a 12-2 lead.
Middletown (1-2, 3-5-1) kept the game alive by scoring a run in the bottom half of the fifth. Kelseyville came back with two runs in the sixth to make it 14-3. While the Mustangs got a run closer in bottom half, the 10-run rule ended the game at that point.
“We got out there and got ‘em early,” Kelseyville head coach Billy Shaul of Kelseyville’s five-run first. “We kept working hard from there.”
Holdenried allowed just one earned run while striking out six and walking two.
“I thought he threw really well,” Shaul said of his senior starting pitcher. “His fastball looked good and his off-speed pitch looked good when he needed it.”
Middletown got on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 9-2.
“We knew we were playing a really good team,” Middletown head coach Kyle Buckhorn said. “Our energy just wasn’t there.”
Losing pitcher Cody Perez struck out one and walked six during his four innings on the mound.
Johnny Finney and Hunter Karp both went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Mustangs. Jon Hawkins added a double. Madden Sutton and Kelby Shook also had hits. Finney and Shook drove in runs. Perez also had an RBI.
Buckhorn praised the efforts of Finney and Karp.
“He played hard, did well today,” Buckhorn said of Finney. “Same with Hunter Karp. Karp is seeing the ball so good right now. He’s locked on.”
“We looked kind of flat coming in, but our bats got going early,” Shaul said. “I always like to see that.”
Shaul also liked the Knights’ RBI distribution. Seven different players knocked in runs – Thomas, Barrick, Bryant, Hommer, JD Smart (1-for-3, 2 RBIs), Reme Strong (1-for-3) and Kyle Watkins. Holdenried also had a hit.
The win pushes Kelseyville’s league winning streak to 34 games. The Knights’ last NCL I loss was in the second-to-last game of the 2022 season.
Both teams play on the road Tuesday. Kelseyville visits Upper Lake while Middletown travels to Fort Bragg.
