A pair of great seasons came to an abrupt end last week for Cloverdale High School baseball and softball teams, with both advancing in the North Coast Section Division-4 playoff tournament before being bounced in the quarterfinals.
Seeded fourth, the three-time league champion Lady Eagles opened the NCS softball tourney with a 10-0 home drubbing over 13th seeded Healdsburg, but were eliminated by number-five seeded Berean Christian, 10-1.
The ladies finished up with an overall record of 20-5.
Meanwhile, the varsity baseball Eagles entered the NCS playoffs as the 10th seed, riding the strong arm of junior ace Chris Harms to claim a 1-0 victory over number seven El Molino in an opening round match-up in Forestville, but were on the short end of an 18-1 setback at second-seeded Justin Siena to finish the season with a mark of 16-10.
Lady Eagles bounced
It was all Cloverdale in the NCS opener against visiting Healdsburg on May 27, as junior hurler Teanne Edens continued her mastery of season opponents with yet another dominant effort.
Edens (5 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 10 Ks) was un-hittable in five innings of work, with just a pair of walks standing in the way of a perfect game. The Eagles jumped on Healdsburg pitcher Keely Bullock early, pushing across 10 runs in the first three frames, highlighted by a seven-run explosion in the third to give Edens all the support she needed en route to a 10-0, five-inning win.  Â
Pacing the offensive attack for Cloverdale were Bailey Stewart (2 for 4, run, 2 RBIs), Edens (1 for 1, run, RBI), Sierra Morse (1 for 3, 2 RBIs), Monica Lemley (1 for 4, 2 runs, RBI) and Josie Marrufo (1 for 1, 2 runs).
The Lady Eagles met their match in Saturday’s quarterfinal clash with visiting Berean Christian, a team looking to avenge a 10-9 loss to Cloverdale on March 21.
The visitors would have their revenge in this one, capitalizing on four Eagles fielding errors to grab a 5-0 lead after three innings on their way to a 10-1 victory.
Edens (7 IP, 10 hits, 5 ERs, 4 Ks) finished up a brilliant, 20-win season in defeat, while top hitters included Lemley (1 for 3, 2B, RBI), Marrufo (1 for 2) and Celeste Gastineau (1 for 3).
The future looks bright for Cloverdale, which expects to return all but two players next season.
Baseballers take
one of two
The Eagles suffered a similar fate in the NCS baseball playoffs, beginning with a sparkling, 1-0 win over home-standing El Molino on May 27.
Harms authored one of his best outings of the season, benefiting from outstanding defense and one un-earned run in the third inning to craft a complete-game, four-hit, eight-strikeout gem.
Cloverdale pushed across the lone run of the game off of El Molino starter Mitchell Fricker in the third, as Harms reached base on an error, followed by a pair of walks. Senior Greg Scaramella made the Lions pay with a clutch, two-out run scoring single to plate Harms for a 1-0 lead.
With Jeremy Pearson on in relief of Fricker, the Lions threatened several times, but a spectacular lunging catch by right-fielder Michael McDermott would help preserve the Eagle’s lead. El Molino put two runners on with one out in the seventh, but Harms induced a pair of pop flies to close out a 1-0 win.
The Eagles had three days to savor the victory before traveling to Justin Siena in Napa on May 30, as the Braves ended all suspense with seven runs in the first two innings. The Eagles pushed across a solo runs in the fourth, but Justin Siena exploded for 11 runs in the bottom of the frame to force an early stoppage after five to win 18-1. Â
