Clear Lake’s softball season ends with 10-0 loss to McKinleyville
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MCKINLEYVILLE >> A team with only one senior – and that senior wasn’t able to play Friday – did enough to satisfy head coach Scott Schaefers even if Clear Lake’s season came to a definitive end with a 10-0 quarterfinal-round loss in five innings to the No. 1-seeded McKinleyville Panthers in the North Coast Section Division 5 softball playoffs at McKinleyville.
“We were down, pulled it together, came out third place (in league) … tied for third place, and made it to the playoffs,” Schaefers said of the Cardinals’ up-and-down 2025 campaign, one that ended with Clear Lake (12-9) being held to a single hit.
A young squad, the Cardinals’ lone senior, outfielder Emily Gersalia, was unable to play because of Clear Lake’s senior class picnic.
“I’m definitely going to miss her,” Schaefers said. “She had the best attitude ever.”
McKinleyville wasted no time taking the lead, scoring a run in the bottom of the first before putting the game out of reach with a six-run second inning. The Cardinals struggled to do much of anything at the plate, and it was a bloop single over the second baseman’s head, that off the bat of Aubrey Schweitzer with one out in the top of the third, that proved to be Clear Lake’s only hit, and the team’s only baserunner.
The Cardinals won their final four games during North Central League I play to finish .500 in the league standings.
Clear Lake returns every starter except Gersalia next season.
“I started three freshmen today,” Schaefers said.
Clear Lake pitcher Atiana Patino took the loss.
The Cardinals rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat Albany 6-5 in opening-round action Tuesday in Lakeport. McKinleyville (15-12), which had a first-round bye, advances to the semifinals on Wednesday and will host the winner of a Saturday game between South Fork and Miramonte.
