St. Helena, three-time defending NCL I champion, overwhelms Cardinals
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ST. HELENA >> The St. Helena Saints pounded the ball for five innings, beating the Clear Lake Cardinals 15-1 in a North Central League I softball game Friday afternoon in St. Helena where the vising Cardinals were making their league debut.
St. Helena, the three-time defending league champion, improved to 2-0 in the NCL I standings with virtually no resistance from Clear Lake (0-1, 6-3).
“We’re just trying to find our stride and be consistent,” Clear Lake head coach Scott Schaefers said. “We came out flat and off balance. We hit a lot of weak ground balls. I don’t know if it was us or her (winning pitcher Ada Blanton). We were just off balance.”
Blanton worked the first four innings of the five-inning game, allowing Clear Lake’s only two hits and no runs, striking out two and walking none. She faced just three batters over the minimum during her three innings, allowing a double to Clear Lake’s Amelie Davis and a single to Faith McIntire. Another Cardinal reached base on an error.
Clear Lake had a 15-0 lead after four innings. The Cardinals avoided the shutout with a run in the top of the fifth against reliever Maycee Farrell, losing pitcher Atiana Patino driving in the run.
Patino allowed 11 hits and 13 earned runs in her four innings of work, striking out two and walking six.
Schaefers said the Cardinals battled but couldn’t do much against the Saints.
“They kept their hearts in it until the end,” Schaefers said.
Clear Lake’s home game Tuesday with Upper Lake has been postponed. The Cardinals are scheduled to play Friday in Fort Bragg at 4 p.m.
