Andrews big day at the plate and on the mound lead Justin-Siena past Kelseyville in home-opener
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Errors will always come back to kill a team in baseball.
But overcoming those errors takes a lot of grit and fight. That’s what the Justin-Siena baseball team did in their home-opener when they beat Kelseyville 10-9 in walk-off fashion.
This isn’t the first time Justin-Siena (1-1) has won their home-opener by way of the walk-off. Over the last two seasons, they’ve done the same thing, which makes this the third straight season by winning on a walk-off in their first home game.
The Braves were able to overcome seven errors in the game as well.
“They were physical errors, so you can live as a coach with the physical errors,” Justin-Siena coach Jeremy Tayson said. “Obviously, you don’t want to see them in the quantity that we saw them. But I think we’ve really been trying to preach and establish and have an emerging culture, of grit and spirit and toughness.”
Third straight year with a walk off in the home opener pic.twitter.com/HbhOHIYqqS
— JSBravesBaseball (@AllHeart_JS) March 1, 2020
Justin-Siena entered the bottom of the seventh trailing 9-5. But with the bases loaded and two outs, Nick Andrews drove a single to right field to bring home James Snoke and pinch-runner Billy Katz. Snoke reached on a bunt single earlier on in the inning and Katz pinch ran for Robbie Sangiacomo who reached on a fielder’s choice.
“I was pulling everything all day and our coach is like ‘just take one oppo’,” Andrews said of his walk-off two-RBI single. “So, I tried to sit back. He was throwing really slow and I just sat back and took it the other way.”
However, the rally all began with back-to-back walks by Keith Binz and Noah Young, who both scored on a Marcus Nunes double. Nunes later scored on a single by Daniel Kelly.
After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Braves were able to push two runs across in the bottom of the second. Andrews began the inning with a single and then scored on a Binz double. Binz later scored on a Young double.
Justin-Siena got back into the game in the fifth inning when they scored three times. After being hit by a pitch, Binz scored on a Nunes double. Nunes later came home on a Nolan Dunkle single that also brought in Young who walked earlier.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t say anything changed because we were hitting the ball hard all day,” Tayson added. “I mean that first inning they found the holes and then after that they were kind of hanging up and they were making plays.”
The Knights scored three runs in the top of the second and then five in the fourth inning thanks to three errors.
“It makes it way more rewarding because we made all those mistakes but sticking with it (and) coming back that’s just what it is,” Andrews explained. “It’s part of baseball.”
Getting the victory on the bump was Andrews. The sophomore went three innings allowed only three hits and a run. He struck out one and walked one on 38 pitches.
“I just try to throw strikes,” Andrews explained of his good outing on the bump. “Let them put the ball in play and my teammates got my back.”
“He got himself his first win of the season on the mound,” Tayson pointed out. “He is such a steady dude. That’s why we brought him up to the varsity level when we did last year and he’s just not scared of a dang thing.”
Justin-Siena will be back in action next Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. when the visit Armijo-Fairfield.
