Lower Lake holds off Upper Lake 7-5 in North Central League I softball action Tuesday
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KELSEYVILLE >> Josie Keithly’s run-scoring single with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Kelseyville Knights to a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Clear Lake Cardinals in North Central League I softball action Tuesday afternoon in Kelseyville.
AJ Wurm scored from second base on Keithly’s game-winning hit. Wurm pitched all seven innings for the Knights (6-5 league, 7-10 overall), striking out two and walking two. After giving up three runs to Clear Lake (7-5, 13-8) in the top of the first, the senior allowed only one run over the final six innings.
“It was a fun game to be a part of,” Kelseyville head coach Brittany Rumfelt said. “Ashlyn Wurm had a strong performance on the mound, setting the tone defensively. Kathryn Wheelan came up with a great diving catch in left field while Madison Byrne made a key double play and delivered a clutch home run to tie the game.”
Kelseyville scored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings to tie the score. Clear Lake pushed ahead 4-3 with a run in the top of the sixth, but Byrne’s fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to center field, knotted the score at 4-4.
Wurm retired the Cardinals in order in the top of the seventh before the Knights won in walk-off fashion on the bottom half, Wurm racing home on Keithly’s sharp single into left field.
“We had the top of our order up, too,” Clear Lake head coach Scott Schaefers said of the top of the seventh. “We had lots of chances (earlier in the game) but didn’t hit anything when we had runners at second and third, and they did. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Vanessa Reyes went 2-for-2 for the Knights. Byrne, Keithly, AJ Wurm (double), Jordyn Wurm, Kat Wheelan and Brooke Poff also had hits. Byrne, Keithly, Reyes and Poff all had RBIs.
Ashlynn Cruz went 2-for-3 with a double and RBI for Clear Lake. Karsyn Greer, Hailey Perez, Amelie Davis and Faith McIntire had the Cardinals’ other hits.
Clear Lake 10-runned Kelseyville 12-2 when the two teams met April 9 in Lakeport.
The Cardinals can clinch third place in the league standings with wins in their final two games. They host Lower Lake on Thursday when the team’s seniors will be honored, and they are on the road next Tuesday at Middletown.
Kelseyville has three league games remaining in addition to a non-league game Wednesday at Healdsburg. The Knights travel to Cloverdale on Friday, play at Middletown next Tuesday, and are home Wednesday, May 13 against Upper Lake.
In other NCL I softball action Tuesday:
Lower Lake 7, Upper Lake 5
At Lower Lake, in a game where all of the scoring took place in the first 2 ½ innings, the Lower Lake Trojans held off the Upper Lake Cougars behind a great relief outing from Crystal Pepper, who blanked Upper Lake on one hit over the final 4 1/3 innings while striking out six and walking one.
“She came in and shut it down,” Lower Lake head coach Julie Jackson said of Pepper, who replaced starting pitcher Madelyn Garner during Upper Lake’s four-run outburst in the top of the third inning that cut Lower Lake’s lead to 7-5.
Lower Lake scored three times in the bottom of the first and four times in the second to go up 7-1.
“They just like to make me sweat,” Jackson said. “We were lackadaisical after we jumped on top.”
Between Pepper’s solid relief outing and some good defense in the field, including a 1-4-6-3 double play, the Trojans were able to retain the lead.
“Our defense has been showing up and our baserunning has been a lot better,” Jackson said.
Heidi Ortega (3-for-4) and Jamiya Lee-Ayers (1-for-3) both had two-run doubles for the Trojans (5-6, 6-9). Ortega finished with three RBIs.
“When she’s on, she’s on,” Jackson said of Ortega. “She can swing it. She had smart at-bats and was super aggressive.”
Added Jackson, “And Jamiya has really turned it up the last couple of games.”
Eden Sparks went 1-for-3 with a RBI for Lower Lake. Marlene Jack and Monae Rodgers also had hits.
Complete Upper Lake statistics weren’t reported, but Aubree Sperber did go 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. Bella Stillman was the losing pitcher.
The Cougars are 3-7 in league and 5-8 overall.
Lower Lake hits the road Thursday to play Clear Lake in Lakeport at 4 p.m. Upper Lake travels to Middletown on Friday at 4 p.m.
St. Helena 16, Middletown 0 (5 inn.)
At St. Helena, NCL I leader St. Helena improved to 11-0 in league play and 14-5 overall with a five-inning win over the Middletown Mustangs (1-11, 2-12).
Winning pitcher Ada Blanton struck out seven and walked one. Malia Lund (2-for-3, triple) drove in four runs for the Saints while Journey Penterman went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.
Middletown statistics were not reported.
Middletown hosts Upper Lake on Friday at 4 p.m.
