Tino Cruz pitches one-hitter against Upper Lake, strikes out nine
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LAKEPORT >> Two games to go for the Clear Lake Cardinals as the North Central League I race winds down.
Clear Lake enters a decisive final week with two games against Fort Bragg, the only team that beat the Cardinals twice in league play a year ago as the Cardinals finished second in the 2025 final standings. They are gunning for their first league title since going 14-0 in 2015.
The Cardinals (11-1 league, 15-6-1 overall) tuned up for Fort Bragg by beating Upper Lake 15-0 in five innings on Thursday in Lakeport, and they did with underclassmen playing a huge role. Freshman Tino Cruz pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a single to Cameron Milhaupt, while blanking Upper Lake (1-11, 2-14-1). He struck out nine and walked two.
“He’s solid,” Clear Lake head coach Brian Horne said of Cruz, who figures to play a much bigger role for the Cardinals in the near future as senior aces AJ Bruch and Sawyer Smith graduate this year. “He stayed in the zone.”
Mano Garcia, another freshman, caught the entire game.
Zane McAuley (2-for-3, double) drove in five of the Cardinals’ runs while Jesse Hayes went 2-for-2 with a double and stole three more bases for the Cardinals. Hayes is among the North Coast Section’s most prolific basestealers this year. Johnny Gonzales III (2-for-2) and AJ Bruch (2-for-2, two RBIs) added two hits apiece.
Carlos Narvaes took the loss for Upper Lake.
Both teams wrap up their league schedules next week. Clear Lake hosts Fort Bragg on Tuesday while Upper Lake hosts Cloverdale.
