Upper Lake 10-runs second straight league opponent
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UPPER LAKE >> Pounding the ball for a second straight game, the Upper Lake High School varsity softball team 10-runned the Clear Lake Cardinals 12-2 in five innings Thursday during North Central League I action in Upper Lake.
Upper Lake (3-7 league, 6-8 overall) hammered Lower Lake 17-6 in five innings on Tuesday, and the Cougar’ bats stayed red-hot against the Cardinals (3-7, 7-8), who were coming off a 14-1 five-inning loss Wednesday at Cloverdale.
“We’ve found our stride and our girls are playing solid with zero errors on defense this afternoon,” Upper Lake head coach Janice Klier said.
“Bad things happen,” Clear Lake head coach Scott Schaefers said of the unexpected turn in his team’s fortunes following a 5-2 home win Tuesday against Kelseyville. “You’ve got to persevere and want it.”
Clear Lake is enduring a four-games-in-four-days stretch, which the Cardinals have only themselves to blame after accommodating teams who had to reschedule games for a variety of reasons earlier in the season. As a result, they are playing half of their 14-game league schedule over the final two weeks of the regular season.
“It’s rough,” Schaefers said. “I feel bad for the girls.”
Clear Lake started out well against Upper Lake, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning against winning pitcher Aimee Schaefers, but that 2-0 lead lasted only until Upper Lake came to bat in the bottom half of the inning. The Cougars struck for three runs against losing pitcher Atiana Patino and never looked back.
The Cougars broke the game wide open with a six-run third.
“Like any team, you get down and you get tight,” Schaefers said.
Clear Lake’s offense had no answer against Schaefers as the junior pitched a five-hitter, striking out four and issuing just one walk.
Faith McIntire (1-for-2, double) and Patino (1-for-2) drove in Clear Lake’s only runs. Kam Cresto, Cali Albaum and Ashlynn Cruz had the Cardinals’ other hits.
Upper Lake hit the ball up and down its lineup for a second game in a row, with Angelina Rivera going 4-for-4 with a double and four RBIs while leading the way. Leyla Marcks added three hits and scored twice, and Yadira Beecher and Portia Klier each had a pair of hits. Beecher knocked in two runs and Klier one. Ashlyn Rhodes went 1-for-3 with a double and RBI, scoring twice.
Hope Marcks and Addison Vipond also drove in runs for Upper Lake.
Upper Lake honors its seniors Friday against Middletown at 4 p.m. Clear Lake is back on the road at Lower Lake.
GAME NOTES: Upper Lake has equaled the three league games won by last year’s squad. The Cougars moved up from the NCL II into the NCL I in 2024. They won the NCL II title with a 6-0 mark in 2023 after a 5-1 league campaign in 2022 … If Upper Lake beats Middletown on Friday, the Cougars will have their second three-game winning streak of the season. They beat Technology, Credo and Maxwell in succession in late March … Clear Lake finished 12-2 in league play a year ago, 7-7 in 2023, 11-3, in 2022 and 11-3 in 2021 … Upper Lake travels to Lakeport on Thursday for its league rematch with the Cardinals.
