Sonoma Valley’s fast start proves to be too much for Napa to overcome
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
SONOMA-Following their Big Game victory a week ago it seemed as though momentum was building for the Napa High baseball team in Vine Valley Athletic League play.
But, what momentum they had built was slightly squashed on Tuesday when they lost 7-2 to Sonoma Valley.
The Dragons (12-2 overall, 5-1 VVAL) scored all their runs in the first four innings of the game when they got a run in the first, followed by three straight innings of scoring two runs apiece.
“When they put the bat on the ball they found holes,” Napa coach Jason Chatham said as to what won the game for Sonoma Valley. “When we put the bat on the ball we found gloves, and really it was just that simple. I thought their hitters did a good job, but I think that if you talk about balls that they barreled up it might’ve been four to five. It wasn’t a crazy amount of balls in the gap or anything that. It was just they found holes. There was a bunch of balls that dropped between the infield and the outfield. There was a couple seeing eye singles up the middle that weren’t hit particularly hard, but they did a good job of putting the bat on the ball and obviously we have to give them credit for that, and they got hits at the right time.”
However, Napa (1-16, 1-5 VVAL) had many more opportunities throughout the game to push across runs.
“I think it’s important to recognize that, yes we lost 7-2 today, but we had bases loaded twice and we had a play in the outfield that could’ve led to a double play,” Chatham said. “There’s not a whole lot that had to go more right for us for us to win this game.”
In the fourth when Napa did get their two runs Omar Gonzalez walked and later scored when Travis Brayton scalded a ball into the right-center gap for a RBI double. Later, Cole Kipsey who was hit by a pitch came in when Nick Raymond drew a bases-loaded walk.
“That was a highlight,” Chatham said of Brayton’s two bagger. “Brayton’s gapper was definitely a big moment in this game. I’m happy for him because his rounds in batting practice are starting to get better.”
The Grizzlies top hitters on the day were Dylan Foster (1-for-2, single, strikeout, walk), Brayton (1-for-3, double, RBI), and Jacks Madigan (1-for-3, single, strikeout).
Madigan started the game for Napa and took the loss. He went three innings, struck out two, and walked two, and threw 82 pitches.
“He never really got hit hard,” Chatham explained of his opener. “It’s hard to pull a guy when he’s throwing strikes, he’s pitching to contact, and he’s giving up bloopers. We like that at that point, so Madigan starting was maybe not the textbook move, but we needed strikes from our starter, he delivered strikes.”
Foster, who worked in relief went three innings, struck out three, and walked one. He also threw 38 pitches.
“Mechanically I thought he was a lot better today. He was focused. Host release point was consistent, and that’s what we wanted out of him,” Chatham said of Foster’s relief outing.
Both teams will be back in action on Friday. Napa will head to Petaluma to face Casa Grande at 4 p.m., while Sonoma Valley will host Justin-Siena at 7 p.m.
