Bigger challenges await, but thus far the Ferndale baseball team has taken care of business.
On Wednesday the Wildcats traveled to Calistoga and won comfortably 13-0 in five innings to go to 8-0.
The victory capped an impressive run through the team’s pre-league schedule, as the Cats get set for a crucial few days in the Little 4 next week, with a pair of games against defending conference champs St. Bernard’s.
“Obviously glad to get the win, but we are still a work in progress,” Ferndale head coach Justin Andersen said. “We’re about to get our fist true test next week, which will tell us exactly where we’re at.”
The Cats open conference play at home against St. Bernard’s on Tuesday, before traveling to Eureka to play the Crusaders a second time two days later.
Those two games between two schools that are unbeaten and considered the frontrunners in the race for this year’s championship, will likely have a big say in who wins the pennant.
On Wednesday, three Ferndale pitchers combined to no-hit Calistoga.
Prescott Langer got the start and threw three strong innings, giving up two walks and striking out four.
Cade Renner and Tristen Titus each also pitched one hitless inning in relief.
The three pitchers got plenty of run support, as the Cats quickly took control of the game with four runs in the first inning, including a two-run home run by Luke Dixon.
The visitors added another run in the third and five more in the fourth to open up a 10-run advantage.
Dixon finished the game 2-for-3 with the home run, three RBIs and two runs, while Tanner Pidgeon went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs.
Sophomore Cash Mobley continued his impressive start to the season and was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs, while Renner and Brad Williams each finished 1-for-2 with a double, with Renner also driving in three runs.
Langer also was 1-for-2 and scored three runs.
“All in all, it was a good day,” said Andersen, who added he likes the way his players are putting the ball in play, but that they need to clean some things up on defense and the pitchers need to get their pitch counts down.
The two big games next week are both set for 4 p.m.
