Upper Lake, Middletown, Lower Lake drop games during varsity baseball action
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CLOVERDALE >> While it wasn’t the cleanest game Kelseyville has ever played from a defensive standpoint, the Knights made enough plays in the field to jump back into the win column, beating the Cloverdale Eagles 11-3 in North Central League I varsity baseball action at City Park in Cloverdale.
The Knights (7-3 league, 8-10-1 overall) were coming a rough week against archrival Clear Lake, dropping back-to-back 12-2 five-inning decisions to the Cardinals, so a solid if not spectacular effort against the Eagles (0-8, 4-10) was well received by Kelseyville coach Billy Shaul.
“We made plays (on defense) when we needed to,” Shaul said. “Today was a good change after last week. Cloverdale is not a bad team, and you can get in trouble if you overlook them.”
Kelseyville sophomore pitcher JD Smart pitched well enough to get the win for the Knights, though he threw a lot of pitches (74) during his 4 1/3 innings on the mound.
“JD didn’t have his best stuff, but he threw the ball well enough,” Shaul said of his young ace who allowed two runs (one earned).
Reese Johnson worked the final 2 2/3 innings, striking out one and walking none.
It was a milestone victory of sorts for the Knights, who are now playoff eligible because of the seven league wins, according to Shaul. Kelseyville has four league games left, three out of four of those at home, including a big home-and-away set next week against St. Helena (10-1), the co-league leader.
Building momentum for a playoff run is foremost on Shaul’s mind right now as the three-time defending NCL I champions head down the homestretch of the regular season.
“We’re not overlooking anyone,” Shaul said with an eye toward Kelseyville’s home games Wednesday against Upper Lake (1-9) and Friday’s rematch with Cloverdale. “We need to keep playing well and tighten up our (infield) defense.”
The Knights committed five errors against the Eagles, though Cloverdale was barely able to take advantage.
A bases-loaded walk and bases-loaded hit batsman in the top of the first put the Knights ahead to stay at 2-0. They added three runs in the second on Smart’s RBI double, a Pivniska RBI single and a Brayton Thomas single that plated one run although Carson Stone was thrown out at home trying to score from second. The Knights picked up three more runs in the fourth on Stone’s two-run double and a run-scoring error to go up 8-0. They were on the verge of 10-running the Eagles, but Cloverdale was able to work out of a couple of jams to stay in it.
The Eagles got two runs in the bottom of the fourth against Smart to make it 8-2.
Kelseyville added to its lead with two runs in the fifth on a Pivniska two-run single. Cloverdale got one of those back in the bottom half. The Knights added an insurance run in the sixth on another Pivniska RBI single.
Kelseyville had one of its best days this season at the plate, banging out 16 hits. Pivniska went 5-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored while Stone went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Smart helped his own cause by going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a RBI and four runs scored. Smart, Pivniska and Stone were a combined 12-for-12 hitting in the Nos. 2-4 slots in Kelseyville’s batting order.
Thomas (2-for-4, two RBIs) also had multiple hits. Johnson and Michael Dougherty had the other Kelseyville hits.
Starting center field Max Lee took a flyball off his forehead in the bottom of the fourth inning but was OK. Lee said he brushed his glasses while tracking the flyball and momentarily lost the ball, which ricocheted away.
“Thankfully he’s got a hard head,” Shaul said of Lee, who was sporting a small bump and red mark on his forehead after the game but was otherwise fine. “I think maybe he took his eye off the ball for a second thinking about getting his throw back into the infield (with the bases full of Eagles).”
Smart finished the game in center field and made all three putouts in the bottom of the seventh.
While it’s been a tough go for Cloverdale so far in league play, they still have six games left, including two each against Upper Lake (1-9) and Lower Lake (1-8) and one against Middletown (4-6).
In other NCL I baseball action Tuesday:
Clear Lake 11, Upper Lake 0 (5 inn.)
At Upper Lake, David Cruz pitched four solid innings, striking out eight, and the Clear Lake Cardinals (10-1, 14-6-1) emptied their bench while beating the Upper Lake Cougars (1-9, 3-12).
Clear Lake rested both of its aces, AJ Bruch and Sawyer Smith, and also gave freshman Knox Hensler the start behind the plate.
“I’m happy with the way David (Cruz) threw the ball,” Clear Lake head coach Brian Horne said. “And Knox Hensler, our freshman backup catcher, caught the whole game and looked solid.”
“We pretty much got everything out of this game that we wanted,” Horne said as the Cardinals kept pace with St. Helena (10-1) atop the NCL I standings with three games remaining for both teams.
Clear Lake’s offense didn’t skip a beat per usual, 10-running an opponent for the fifth game in a row. Ezekiel Lopez went 2-for-3 with a RBI while Jesse Hayes (1-for-3) doubled and drove in three runs. Zane McAuley, who pitched the final inning in relief of Cruz, went 1-for-4 with a RBI. Cruz, Ryken Villanueva and Tino Cruz, a freshman, had Clear Lake’s other hits.
Losing pitcher Tyler Collins and Mikel Compton had the only hits for Upper Lake.
“Their pitcher threw a good curve and had us off balance,” Upper Lake head coach Don Meri said. “Clear Lake is a good ballclub and did what they needed to do.”
Upper Lake travels to Kelseyville on Wednesday and to Lakeport on Thursday for a rematch with Clear Lake.
St. Helena 11, Middletown 1 (5 inn.)
At St. Helena, St. Helena’s Charlie Blaum pitched a four-hitter and the Saints 10-runned the Middletown Mustangs to remain even with Clear Lake atop the league standings.
Middletown (4-6, 8-9) jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the first. St. Helena (10-1, 15-6) pushed ahead to stay with a four-run second against losing pitcher Cody Perez. The Mustangs added four runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to end the game.
“The roller coaster ride continues,” Middletown head coach Marc Humphrey said of his team’s up-and-down play this season.
Austin Davis went 1-for-2 with a double for Middletown while Hunter Karp, Hayden Xavier and Madden Sutton also had hits. Cody de Jong drove in the Mustangs’ run.
Perez worked the first two innings, allowing four runs on five hits and walking one.
Middletown hosts St. Helena on Friday at 4 p.m.
Fort Bragg 10, Lower Lake 1
At Fort Bragg, building a 7-0 lead early, the Fort Bragg Timberwolves knocked off the Lower Lake Trojans behind the strong pitching of Carter Killion, who tossed a complete-game four-hitter while striking out nine.
Giancarlo Diaz went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Timberwolves (7-4, 13-8) while Chris Hernandez (1-for-3) and Sawyer Schlafer (1-for-1) knocked in two runs apiece.
Lower Lake statistics weren’t reported.
The Trojans fall to 1-8 in league play and 4-13-1 overall.
Lower Lake hosts Fort Bragg on Friday at 4 p.m.
