Knights fall 18-5 in debut
Five-run fifth allows K'ville to go full seven innings
KELSEYVILLE >> A five-run bottom of the fifth inning cut Colusa’s lead to 8-5, but the Kelseyville Knights couldn’t get any closer as the visiting Redhawks went on to win 18-5 in non-league softball action Tuesday at Kelseyville.
It was the season opener for the Knights (0-1) and the high school coaching debut of Kelseyville’s Julie Jackson, who said her players were pretty nervous before taking the field.
“We struggled at the start,” Jackson said. “We had first-game jitters.”
Colusa scored in every inning and led 8-0 going to the bottom of the fifth. MJ Boardman touched off a five-run Kelseyville rally with a double and later scored on a Taylor Hanson single, breaking up the shutout.
“We were right there, only down by three,” Jackson said of the 8-5 deficit after five full innings. “But we couldn’t hold them.”
The Redhawks promptly busted the game wide open with a ninerun top of the sixth.
“A lot of things we didn’t capitalize on, but once they decided to play, we got right in it,” Jackson said of her players’ five-run fifth.
“But Colusa started pounding the ball (in the sixth),” Jackson added. “We had some unfortunate things happen in that inning.”
Losing pitcher Jo Hellgren went the distance and did her part to keep Kelseyville in the game, according to Jackson.
Another bright spot for
Knights was the glove work of third baseman Paula Vargas.
“She definitely gave us 100 percent and made some pretty clutch plays,” Jackson said.
As for Kelseyville’s new coach, she had to overcome her own first-game jitters. The former high school and collegiate player said it was a new experience.
“I was definitely nervous. It’s a different perspective as a coach. You see things differently than a player,” she said.
The Knights were playing their first game in more than a calendar year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and they won’t play another official game until their North Central League I opener April 6 at Cloverdale. They are home Thursday to scrimmage Upper Lake at 4 p.m.
Hitting statistics against Colusa were not available.