Upper Lake had lost five straight at home, but on Friday they dropped their record down to 3-10 to make it six. They lost 11-1 to the St. Helena Saints. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Cougars of the 7-0 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2024.
As for St. Helena, the victory was the third in a row for them, bringing their record up to 13-4. Their hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
For St. Helena's part, Xander Kelperis made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Kelperis has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, earning one RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Those two runs gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sam Beck, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Julian Earls, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and one run.
Coincidentally, Upper Lake and St. Helena will both be playing Clear Lake the next time they take the field. The Saints will host the Cardinals at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, while the Cougars will head out to face them at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
