Napa Silverados put on offensive show, roll Salina Stockade in home-opener
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Last year the Napa Silverados won their first-ever game in front of their home fans in convincing fashion.
Well, in their first game at home of the 2019 campaign it seems as though a bit of deja vu broke out as they walloped the Salina Stockade 21-1 on Saturday afternoon.
“Always nice to win,” Silverados designated hitter J.J. Bissell happily said afterwards.
The Silverados (2-0) started off their scoring barrage in the bottom of the second when they were able to push two runs across. Nick Ultsch singled and later scored on a Jordan Garr single. After walking Dom Bethancourt scored on a Willie Salas sacrifice fly to left field.
In the second Napa was able to add five more runs, two of which came by way of sacrifice flies. They only got three hits in that inning.
In the bottom of the fourth the Silverados put the game away when they scored eight times on nine hits, and sent 16 batters to the plate.
Then, in the fifth Salas reached on an error and scored on a Bissell two-run home run to right-center.
“It’s always nice to get the first home run out of the way,” Bissell said of his two-run bomb in the fifth. “More to come obviously. Just go up there with a nice approach nice and relaxed.”
The Stockade scored their lone run of the game in the eight, but Napa answered back in the bottom half with home runs from Josh Montelongo and Ultsch.
Edward Perez got the win for Napa. He worked five shutout innings because of the large lead his team had. Dovante Glenn, Andrew Fuentes, and Shawn Jackson all threw in relief for Napa on the day.
“I like the one run thing,” Silverados skipper Tito Fuentes explained. “The eight hits, I was surprised actually I thought it was less than that. But, you know, the pitchers were probably working on things.”
Through their first two games of the season the Silverados have only given up one run.
Napa will be back in action Sunday night at 7:05 p.m. when they head to Sonoma for a meeting with the Stompers. Their next home game will be on Wednesday at 5:05 p.m. against the San Rafael Pacifics.
