Ross’s walk-off single pushes Napa past St. Helena in extra-inning thriller
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Getting revenge is always nice, especially when you only play an opponent once per year.
But it gets even sweeter when you’re able to pass your win total from the previous season in the first week of the new one.
The Napa High baseball team accomplished both those when they beat St. Helena, 7-6, in an extra-inning thriller. The win gives the Grizzlies more wins in three games than in all of the 2019 season. The win also is a measure of revenge after dropping a 10-6 game in St. Helena last year.
“It’s less about the opponent and more about the way we execute the game of baseball,” Napa skipper Jason Chatham explained. “It really is about the way we execute and that’s what I’m looking at. It doesn’t matter what jersey is on the other side. What matters is that we’re ready to answer the challenge. We’re ready to answer the bell.”
After giving up a run in the top of the eighth, Napa (3-0) scored twice. A Connor Ross two-RBI single up the middle brought home Lucas Brandon who singled to begin the inning and Elliot Zuidema who pinch ran for Dylan Foster who singled after Brandon.
“Honestly, just hit the ball hard,” Ross said of his walk-off single. “When it got over the second baseman’s head, it was just exhilarating. It was amazing.”
The Grizzlies also had to score twice in the seventh after giving up three in the top half. After singling, Jacks Madigan came home on a sacrifice fly to right field by Dylan Snider. Then, Omar Gonzalez reached on a fielder’s choice before later scoring on a wild pitch.
Napa took their initial lead of the game in the fifth when Travis Brayton roped a solo home run over the left-field fence.
“I was just super excited,” Brayton said of his blast. “I couldn’t wait to get back to the team and see the boys.”
After giving up a run to St. Helena (1-2) in the top of the first, the Grizzlies pushed one across in the bottom half when Brayton doubled and scored on a wild pitch.
In the fourth, Napa tied things back up at two when Foster singled and pinch-runner Matt Patane came home on a Ross two-bagger.
Ross also picked up the win on the mound as well. He walked one and struck out one in an inning of work. He also threw 13 pitches on the day.
The game was started by Zuidema who got a no-decision. In four innings of work, he struck out four and walked three. In 75 pitches, he also allowed two runs to score, one of which was earned.
“He grew up a little bit in that game,” Chatham added. “The first couple of innings he walked a few guys and he was having a hard time controlling his fastball. After that, I felt like he started to establish all three pitches for a strike.”
Napa will be back in action next Tuesday afternoon when they host Amrijo-Fairfield at 4 p.m. Meanwhile, St. Helena will come back to Napa on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. when they visit Justin-Siena.
