Knights fall to Redding Christian, West Valley at West Valley Tournament
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COTTONWOOD >> Veteran head coach Billy Shaul says it’s only a matter of time before his young Kelseyville High School varsity baseball team starts to figure things out.
The Knights, with only one returning starter from last year’s league-championship squad, fell 5-3 to Etna and 13-0 to West Valley in five innings Friday as the West Valley Tournament wrapped up in Cottonwood.
Kelseyville (0-5) is the three-time-defending North Central League I champion, but the Knights graduated a ton of talent in 2025. Shaul has been here before as his rebuilding 2022 squad lost its first four games and five of its first six before putting things together, including an 8-6 finish in the league standings.
“It’s going to click here at some point,” Shaul said of the Knights’ pursuit of their first win this season. “We’re right there.”
Playing a difficult non-league schedule, which is nothing new for the Knights, has certainly contributed to the team’s slow start. Kelseyville opened the season with losses at Woodland Christan (9-1) and Healdsburg (5-1) before traveling to the West Valley Tournament where played opened Thursday. The Knights fell 5-3 to Etna in first-round action and they had a 3-1 lead going to the bottom of the fifth inning against Redding Christian early Friday.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fifth, a Redding Christian batter singled home two runs to tie the game. An error on the play brought home a third run that proved to be the game-winning run.
Losing pitcher Carson Stone pitched into he fifth and was charged with all four Redding Christian runs (only two earned).
“I probably left him in too long,” Shaul said of Stone, who struck out three and walked four.
Kelseyville scored single runs in the first, second and fifth innings to go up 3-1.
Stone (1-for-2, double) and JD Smart (1-for-2) drove in runs for the Knights. Brayton Thomas, Case Pivniska, Michael Dougherty and Max Lee had Kelseyville’s other hits.
Outside of the outfield error in the bottom of the fifth, the Knights played strong defense, according to Shaul.
West Valley 13, Kelseyville 0 (5 inn.)
Kelseyville’s tight defense against Redwood Christian disappeared in an error-filled lost to tournament host West Valley. The Knights committed nine errors.
A six-run West Valley first inning had the Knights playing from behind from the start.
“That first inning kind of deflated us,” Shaul said. “When you’re struggling to score runs, six runs is pretty hard to overcome.”
Losing pitcher Deake Lyndall worked one inning, allowing no earned runs, striking out two, walking none and hitting one. Dougherty finished up, striking out two and walking one.
Smart had Kelseyville’s only two hits, both doubles.
Kelseyville remains on the road Saturday for a doubleheader in Arcata.
“I’m excited because we have plenty of pitching left,” Shaul said.
In other baseball action Friday:
Esparto at Upper Lake (canceled)
At Upper Lake, Esparto canceled its game with Upper Lake because it did not have enough players to field a team, according to Upper Lake head coach Don Meri.
Upper Lake returns to action Tuesday against South Fork in Miranda at 4 p.m.
