Clear Lake is 2-8 against St. Helena since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Cardinals will be playing at home against the Saints at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Clear Lake gave up the first runs on Friday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victors by a 20-5 margin over Middletown. The victory continues a trend for the Cardinals in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now won four in a row.
Atiana Patino
| 04/18/25 @ Middletown | 4 |
| 03/21/25 @ Willits | 2 |
| 04/08/24 @ Middletown | 2 |
| 02/27/24 @ St. Vincent de Paul | 2 |
| 04/16/25 @ Calistoga | 1 |
Atiana Patino made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Patino was even better at the plate, going 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Karsyn Greer and Faith Mcintire did most of the damage at the plate: Greer got on base in all five of her plate appearances with four runs, three RBI, and one double, while Mcintire got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. Those four runs gave Greer a new career-high. Ashlyn Cruz was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI.
Clear Lake always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .628. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, St. Helena got themselves on the board against Upper Lake on Friday, but Upper Lake never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Cougars with a sharp 15-0 win. Winning may never get old, but the Saints sure are getting used to it with their ninth in a row.
Journey Penterman was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with two triples, three runs, and three RBI. Those triples were her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Tahlia Smith, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
St. Helena's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-4. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Clear Lake, their victory bumped their record up to 6-4.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Clear Lake has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .441. However, it's not like St. Helena struggles in that department as they've averaged .432. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Clear Lake suffered a grim 15-3 defeat to St. Helena when the teams last played back in March. Will the Cardinals have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
