YUNET JOMOLCA North Fort Myers shortstop Ivan Melendez catches the ball, but after Mariner sophomore Walter Cleary (5) slides safely into the base. More photos from Friday night’s game are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

Four of the first five hitters in the Mariner Tritons lineup Friday night were seniors, the other was a junior. Their seasoning forces talented but younger players like sophomore Walter Cleary to bat toward the bottom of the order.

Cleary is taking advantage of the situation.

After the Tritons already built a 6-0 lead, Cleary blasted a two-run homer in the third leading to a 10-0 victory over the North Fort Myers Red Knights.

“We have some great seniors,” said Cleary, who was in the seventh spot. “I get to learn from them.”

Cleary added a sparkling catch in the fifth, making an over-the-shoulder grab in deep center, which robbed North’s Chase Vogelbach of extra bases.

YUNET JOMOLCA Mariner senior first baseman Bryan O’Connor catches a pop fly during Friday’s 10-0 victory over North Fort Myers. More photos from the game are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

He had plenty of help, though, as the Tritons (7-0) blanked their fifth straight opponent. They’ve outscored the opposition 56-0 in the last five games.

Senior left-hander Ryan Schneider tossed five shutout innings, extending the Tritons’ streak of 27 consecutive scoreless innings. He fanned 10 batters and allowed three hits.

“I know my teammates are good at backing me up (in the field),” he said. “It helps me pitch better knowing they’re behind me making the plays.”

The run support helped, too. The first five hitters in the order – seniors Anthony Santo, Angel Laborde, Michael Zunino and Bryan O’Connor and junior Daniel Alimonti – went a combined 10-for-11 against the Red Knights.

It started in the first. Santo led off with a double and four more hits followed, including a two-run double by Alimonti off the fence in right field.

YUNET JOMOLCA Mariner sophomore Walter Cleary is greeted by teammate Colt Masters (3) after Cleary hit a home run Friday night against North Fort Myers. More photos from the Tritons’ 10-0 triumph are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

By the time Cleary belted his first home run of the season in the third, the Tritons had an 8-0 lead.

Though the Red Knights (4-6) made only three errors, the Tritons took advantage of several bloop hits that fell just out of the reach of a defensive player.

“Even though we put 10 runs on the board they helped us with some,” Tritons coach Steve Larsen said. “We played okay, but we’re still not even close to being there.”

The Red Knights had all three hits consecutively in the fifth, courtesy of Michael Williams, R.J. Curtis and Corey Jackson. They also made some stellar defensive plays.

In the third, Casey Perkowski made a diving catch by the fence in right field, robbing Alex Santana of an extra-base hit. Shortstop Ivan Melendez had a diving catch in the fourth and threw to first for the inning-ending double play.

The Tritons’ final two runs in the fifth came on Dan Cohill’s RBI double and Matt Cooker’s RBI single.

The Tritons play at Cape Coral at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Red Knights host Ida Baker Tuesday.

North Ft. Myers 000 00 – 0 3 3

Mariner 512 02 – 10 13 0

W – Ryan Schneider. L – James Foster.

2B – Anthony Santo (M), Daniel Alimonti (M), Angel Laborde (M), Dan Cohill (M). HR – Walter Cleary (M).

Out-of-Door 8, Island Coast 3: Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy executed three-straight squeeze plays in the second inning and A.J. Strong added a two-run triple in a win at Island Coast.

Marco LoSauro had an RBI single for the Gators (3-6). Carlos Morales hit a double and Kyle Harding drove in one run.

The Gators travel to Dunbar Saturday.

Out-of-Door 151 010 0 – 8 6 4

Island Coast 000 200 1 – 3 4 4

W – Wilson. L – Moody.

2B – Carlos Morales (IC), Mathis (O). 3B – Strong (O).

Lehigh 6, Ida Baker 2: Lehigh’s Tim Nelson picked up the win on the mound against host Ida Baker and finished 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored.

The Bulldogs were sparked by Jake York, who went 2-for-3 with a double.

The Bulldogs (4-6) look to rebound Monday at Estero.

Lehigh 003 030 0 – 6 9 2

Ida Baker 110 000 0 – 2 6 2

W – Tim Nelson. L – Mike Gulotta.

2B – Jake York (B), Nelson (L), Vidal (L) .

Softball

Ida Baker 17, Lehigh 1: Allie Hare went 4-for-4, Kayla Vetter and Katie Rieser combined for five no-hit innings, adding up to an easy victory for the host Bulldogs over Lehigh.

Hare delivered a triple and drove in two runs, leading a consistent attack.

Vetter worked three innings and Rieser pitched the final two, each recorded five strikeouts.

The Bulldogs (8-3) visit North Fort Myers Tuesday

Lehigh 000 01 – 1 0 4

Ida Baker 475 1x – 17 18 0

W – Kayla Vetter. L – Gulagarra.

3B – Allie Hare (B).

Boys Tennis

Ida Baker 4, North Fort Myers 3: Ida Baker’s 1-2-3 single players took care of business by winning three-set tiebreakers and lift the Bulldogs to victory over North Fort Myers Friday.

Caleb Davis, Paul Lapikas and Nick Boye each dropped the first set, then rallied to win the second to send the matches into tiebreaks and winning. Davis and Lapikas also teamed up to win No. 1 doubles to decide the match.

Baker (2-4) visits Cape Coral Thursday.

Singles – Caleb Davis (IB) def. Alex Reynolds 3-6, 6-1, 10-3; Paul Lapikas (IB) def. Zach Fisher 4-6, 6-1, 10-4; Nick Boye (IB) def. Sid Feldman 3-6, 7-5, 10-7; Brad Allen (NFM) def. Carlos Garcia 6-0, 7-5; Alex Smith (NFM) def. Jaryd Wydock 6-4, 7-5.

Doubles – Davis-Lapikas (IB) def. Reynolds-Feldman 8-1; Fisher-Allen (NFM) def. Garcia-Boye 8-6.

Girls Lacrosse

Cape Coral 14, Canterbury 9: Jamie Whetsell collected seven goals and Chloe Hutchins added five to pace Cape Coral to victory over Canterbury.

Carly Boscarino contributed two goals, Joanna Russell three interceptions and goalkeeper Tara Murza 19 saves for the Seahawks (4-4), who host Riverdale Monday.

Track & Field

Tarpon Invitational: Mariner High senior Courtney Anderson prevailed in a deep field of challengers in the high jump Thursday at the 27-team Lady Tarpon Invitational at Charlotte High School.

Anderson cleared a top jump of 5 feet, 6 inches. The next closest was 5-0 by Immokalee’s Jakeira Hall. Taylor Van Horn and Payton Van Horn from Ida Baker both cleared 4-10 to tie for third.

Several North Fort Myers athletes delivered strong individual performances, led by Stephanie Nevadunsky’s first-place finish in the 300 hurdles. The junior was the only competitor timed under 50 seconds in the final, at 49.63.

In the 100 meter dash, Machera Calhoun and Jasmine Roberts finished second and third, respectively, for the Red Knights.

Cape High sophomore Shamelle Vargas placed seventh in the 100 hurdles (17.69). Mariner senior Emily LaBarbera came in sixth in a crowded 1600-meter field. Fort Myers’ Katie Russo was second behind Immokalee’s Joanne Pierre.

Team scores – 1. Immokalee 78 1/2, 2. Dunbar 62, 3. Community School of Naples 53, 4. Golden Gate 46, 5. Fort Myers 42, 6. Charlotte 41, 7. Barron Collier 39, 8. North Port and Sarasota 37, 10. Lely 34, 11. Naples 29, 12. Sarasota Riverview 27, 13. Mariner 13, 14. Riverdale 12, 15. St. John Neumann 11, 16. Cypress Lake 10 1/2, 17. Clewiston 9, 18. Gulf Coast 6, 19. Lehigh 6, Baker 6, 21. Port Charlotte 5, 22. Cape Coral 4, 23. Lemon Bay 1.

Individual results

High jump – 1. Courtney Anderson (Mar) 5-6, 2. Jakeira Hall (Imm) 5-0, 3. Genese Badeau (CL) and Allisha Croker (Imm) 4-10, 5. Taylor Van Horn and Payton Van Horn (Baker), Katie Lyon (GC) and Naomi Andre (GG) 4-10. Pole Vault – 1. Alexandra Dati (BC) 8-6. Long jump – 1. Ervanile Brazil (GG) 17-7 1/2, 2. Victoria Howard (Lely) 17-0 1/2, 3. Latrice Williams (Dun) 16-10, 4. Jasmine Roberts (NFM) 16-8. 5. Triple jump – Victoria Howard (Lely) 35-8. Discus throw – Satrina Oliveria (Dun) 111-6. Shot put – Briana Cherry-Bronson (Nap) 37-9 1/2. 4×800 relay – 1. Sarasota Riverview 10:20.63, 2. Fort Myers 10:23.36, 3. Naples 10:25.29, 4. North Fort Myers 10:29.22. 100 hurdles – Ernisha Freeman (Imm) 15.88. 100 – 1. Latrice Williams (Dun) 12.55, 2. Machera Calhoun (NFM) 12.73, 3. Jasmine Roberts (NFM) 12.96. 1600 – 1. Joane Pierre (Imm) 5:14.88, 2. Katie Russo (FM) 5:18.09, 6. Emily LaBarbera (Mar) 5:34.28. 4×100 relay – 1. Golden Gate 48.99. 400 – 1. Stephanie Twellmeyer (CSN) 1:00.61. 300 hurdles – 1. Stephanie Nevadunsky (NFM) 49.63. 800 – 1. Manuella Riguad (Dun) 2:24.11. 200 – 1. Naomi Andre (GG) 24.70. 3200 – 1. Kathryn Fluehr (CSN) 11:02.76. 4×400 – 1. Dunbar 4:11.63.

Sports editor Jim Linette contributed to this report.