PETALUMA — Lilianna Cruz pitched a complete game and missed hitting for the cycle by the margin of a double Wednesday afternoon as the Clear Lake High School softball team opened a new season with a 16-9 non-league win over the St. Vincent Mustangs in Petaluma.
Cruz was never able to get comfortable on the St. Vincent mound, according to head coach Scott Schaefers, but she still managed to go the distance. Cruz got off to a rough start, which included a three-run Mustangs bottom of the first, but the Cardinals (1-0) certainly helped out their hard-throwing junior left hander by pounding out 14 hits, four of them for extra bases.
And Cruz had three of those hits, a single, triple and a solo home run. Like Cruz, junior shortstop Amber Smart went 3-for-5 with a double, inside-the-park solo home run and two RBIs. Cruz had one RBI and also scored four times.
Power ball is really not Clear Lake's game, according to Schaefers.
"We play a lot of small ball," he said. "We bunted people along and they (Mustangs) made some errors that helped us."
Clear Lake received hits from nine different players, including two from senior Stella Hill (2-for-2, two RBIs, three runs) and one apiece from freshman starting catcher Karsyn Greer (1-for-3, run, 2 RBIs) and freshman infielder Lindee Bingham (1-for-1, run, RBI).
After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, Clear Lake took its first lead of the season with a four-run top of the second. St. Vincent (0-2) scored a run in the bottom half to tie things up, but the Cardinals pushed ahead to stay with a five-run third. They had a 12-4 lead before St. Vincent scored again.
"There wasn't a whole lot of practice for these girls the last few days and it sort of showed," Schaefers said of the recent stretch of inclement weather that has kept his players off the field. "It was a great game to get under our belt for how much we've been able to practice. Overall I was very proud of the girls."
Cruz allowed 10 hits, struck out eight and walked six. She allowed six earned runs.
"We're still getting our footing with our defense," Schaefers said.
Though the Cardinals are a veteran group for the most part, Schaefers said he was pleased with the play of his three freshman — Greer, Bingham and Atiana Patino.
"She did a great job behind the plate," Schaefers said of Greer.
Clear Lake's next scheduled game is Tuesday in Colusa at 3:30 p.m.
Team notes: Clear Lake beat St. Vincent 5-4 in the only meeting between the two teams a year ago … The Cardinals went 16-8 overall last season, including 11-3 in the North Central League I (third place), and 1-1 in the North Coast Section playoffs ... Clear Lake returns nearly its entire roster intact this season … The Cardinals' league opener is March 23 at Lower Lake.
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