Clear Lake softball awaits word on playoff berth, will find out Sunday
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LAKEPORT >> Winning their final four league games and going 5-2 over a grueling seven-game stretch the final two weeks of the season, the Clear Lake Cardinals now await the decision of the North Coast Section at-large and seeding meeting to see if they’ll be participating in next week’s playoffs, which open Tuesday or Wednesday depending on division.
Clear Lake capped a 7-7 North Central League I campaign Friday afternoon with an 18-4 win in five innings against the Lower Lake Trojans, who finished the season streaking in the other direction. The Cardinals were the only Lake County softball team to finish with a winning overall record this season – 11-8 – despite some tough stretches along the way.
“We did what we could do, we did what we wanted to,” Clear Lake head coach Scott Schaefers said of the team’s bid to become postseason eligible. “Our girls persevered throughout, tried to get a little bit better each game.”
If the Cardinals persevered, the Trojans (6-8, 8-13-1) imploded. Once 6-3 and looking at a winning league campaign and what seemed at the time as a second straight playoff berth in the making, Lower Lake dropped its final five games, the last four without ace Marian Bal, who quit the team two weeks ago.
The Trojans couldn’t recover and lost their final four games by 10 or more runs.
“It died and it died quick,” Lower Lake co-head coach Julie Jackson said of the Trojans’ season and postseason aspirations. “For the girls who stuck it out and were good teammates, that’s all that I can ask.”
Added Jackson of the inglorious end to a once promising season, “It was a big bar to clear after Mariah quit.”
Forced to promote Crystal Pepper from the junior varsity squad, the Trojans struggled the rest of the way though Jackson made it clear it wasn’t Pepper’s fault. She was put into a situation she shouldn’t have had to assume, but circumstances dictated the move, according to Jackson.
“She wants to work, she’s competitive and if she puts in the work in the fall and the winter, she definitely can be a pitcher who can do the job,” Jackson said of the sophomore, who walked six, hit five and allowed 11 runs (10 earned) in 3 1/3 innings. “She had her moments when I could see the potential.”
Clear Lake had a 4-3 lead going to the bottom of the third inning when it blew the game wide open with a 10-run rally. The Cardinals went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first on Karsyn Greer’s home run to left field. They added three runs in the second before Lower Lake answered with three runs in the top of the third against winning pitcher Atiana Patino, who struck out eight and walked one.
Lindee Bingham went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for Clear Lake, Cali Albaum (1-for-2) finished with three RBIs while Greer (1-for-2), Hailey Perez (1-for-3) and Emily Gersalia (0-for-0) all added two RBIs. Ashlynn Cruz and Faith McIntire also had hits.
Leanna Ortega went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Lower Lake while Grace Reyes (1-for-3) doubled. Jamiya Lee-Ayers and Brialyn Anderson also had hits.
TEAM NOTES: Clear Lake and Kelseyville, which is also playoff eligible, finished tied for third place in the final NCL I standings at 7-7 followed by Lower Lake in a disappointing fifth … Lower Lake hasn’t had a winning record in league play since 2019 (10-4). After going 7-7 in league and 14-9 a year ago, the Trojans were looking for bigger and better things this season, but it never materialized.
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