Clear Lake turns 5-0 deficit into 6-5 first-round playoff victory
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LAKEPORT >> Trailing 5-0 going to the bottom of the fourth inning, the Clear Lake Cardinals had the Albany Cougars right where they wanted them Tuesday afternoon in the opening round of the North Coast Section Division 5 softball playoffs at Lakeport.
OK, so maybe not. Still, things worked out for the Cardinals as they rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the sixth to win 6-5 and advance to Friday’s quarterfinal round at No. 1 seed McKinleyville (5 p.m. first pitch).
“Everyone got involved in this game,” Clear Lake head coach Scott Schaefers said as his No. 8 -seeded Cardinals improved to 12-8 on the season.
Kam Cresto’s RBI single in the sixth tied the score at 5-5. Emily Gersalia followed with what proved to be the game-winning hit, punching a single through the right side to score Lindee Bingham and give Clear Lake its first lead of the game.
Faith McIntire opened the inning by drawing a walk but was forced at second base on Cali Albaum’s fielder’s choice grounder. Bingham doubled down the left-field line to send Albaum to third, and Cresto and Gersalia followed with back-to-back RBI singles.
There was plenty of excitement left as things turned out. While winning pitcher Atiana Patino set down the first two Albany batters in order to open the top of the seventh, the Cougars then loaded the bases on a hit batsman, single and a walk. Patino worked out of the jam by inducing a grounder to shortstop Ashlynn Cruz, who threw out the runner to end the game.
“Ashlynn was not having a great day at the plate, but like I tell them all the time, don’t let your offense affect your defense,” Schaefers said. “She didn’t.”
While all playoff wins are to be savored, this one a bit more than that, according to Schaefers.
“Even more so because we were down 5-0 and it didn’t look to good for us,” Schaefers said. “But we kept battling.”
Albany built a 5-0 lead against Patino with single runs in the second and third innings followed by a three-run fourth. Only one of those runs was earned.
Clear Lake narrowed that gap to 5-4 in the bottom half of the fourth, finally getting untracked against Albany starting pitcher Tehya Hancock, who didn’t return in the fifth inning. Caroline Snyder came on in relief and ended up taking the loss.
Gersalia (2-for-3), Clear Lake’s lone senior, had a RBI bunt single as part of that four-run rally.
Cresto (1-for-3), Bingham (1-for-3) and Patino (1-for-3) had the other Clear Lake hits while Albaum added a RBI.
An upset win against top-seeded McKinleyville (13-12) would move the Cardinals into the Division 5 semifinals either May 27 or May 28 against an opponent and at a location to be determined.
“We’ll just throw ‘em out there and see how it goes,” Schaefers said.
