Kelseyville High School junior faces one batter over minimum in 12-0 league victory
Lake County Sports on Facebook
KELSEYVILLE >> Carson White pitched his best game of the season, limiting the Cloverdale Eagles to one hit and two runners overall as the Kelseyville Knights started slow but came on strong to beat the Cloverdale Eagles 12-0 in six innings Tuesday during North Central League I varsity baseball action in Cloverdale.
It was another pitching gem for this pitching-rich squad, one that improved to 6-0 in league play and 11-2 overall with its 37th consecutive NCL I victory.
“He threw well, probably the best I’ve seen him throw,” Kelseyville head coach Billy Shaul said of White’s 73-pitch masterpiece. “And they (Eagles) have a couple of guys who swing the bat well.”
Cloverdale’s home book, which was the official book for this game, ruled that a fourth-inning grounder to second base off the bat of Austin Axell was a single, even though the ball bounced off the infielder’s glove, then off his feet, before continuing on.
“I thought it was an error,” Shaul said. “It’s definitely a play we should have made.”
The only other Cloverdale batter to reach base struck out in the bottom of the fifth but reached first base when the catcher couldn’t hold the ball as it rolled away. That runner was later erased on a double play.
White faced just one batter over the minimum while striking out 10 and walking none. He also had a key hit at the plate, his two-run single in the bottom of the fifth igniting a five-run uprising that gave the Knights an 8-0 lead.
“That hit go us going,” Shaul said. “We were only leading 3-0 after the fourth inning. “We started the game really slow (at the plate). We were hitting too many popups early in the game.”
Added Shaul, “Once we got into their pen, we opened it up.”
Kelseyville took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a Kyle Watkins sacrifice fly. The Knights went up 3-0 in the fourth without aid of a hit, drawing three walks and scoring runs on an error and a passed ball.
After tacking on five more runs in the top of the fifth, the Knights added four more in the sixth, bringing an early concluion to the game.
Kelseyville’s offense, despite a slow start, spread around the wealth once again. Seven players combined for the team’s eight hits and six different players knocked in runs. Reme Strong went 2-for-4 while White (1-for-4) and Watkins (0-for-3) each had two RBIs. Tyler Bryant went 1-for-2 with a RBI and scored three times.
Cloverdale falls to 1-4 in league play and 3-7 overall.
Kelseyville’s victory combined with St. Helena’s 7-5 home win Tuesday against Fort Bragg (4-1), which was the Timberwolves’ first league loss, leaves the Knights one up in the loss column against Fort Bragg approaching the midway point of the league race. Kelseyville closes out the first half of its league schedule Friday in Fort Bragg where it will have the opportunity to take a commanding lead as it pursues a third straight NCL I championship.
Cloverdale travels to Lower Lake on Friday.
