Sonoma Valley’s execution of small ball leads them past Napa
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
When a team beats you at your own game, it can be frustrating.
On Friday afternoon, that was the case when Sonoma Valley beat Napa 5-1.
The Dragons (2-4 overall, 2-3 Vine Valley Athletic League) held a 2-1 advantage before they decided to break out the small ball, which helped them pull away when they got three runs in the top of the sixth.
“I think that Sonoma is very much a mirror image of our team,” Napa High manager Jason Chatham pointed out. “I think we have a very similar philosophy and program. They ran a couple of squeezes there at the end. The first one, I don’t think we had a shot at the guy. The second one, we did and we overthought it. I thought that they played the short game well.”
Sonoma also scored the game’s first runs during the top of the second. In that inning, they put two runs on the board.
Napa (3-5, 1-4 VVAL) scored their only run in the fifth inning. Max Knauer reached on a bunt single that was up the third-base line. He then stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Knauer scored when Daniel Healy grounded out to first base.
“Max Knauer has really stepped it up,” Chatham explained. “To be honest, I think he’s playing better in the games than he has shown in some of the practices. You have to kind of figure out your guys and that’s something we’re kinda learning about Max is that he’s a gamer. He showed well.”
Starting for Napa was Noah Massey. While he didn’t have his best day on the bump, the bullpen had his back. Trace Willoughby worked four innings and allowed three runs, which were all unearned. He also struck out three and walked two. In an inning of work, Aiden Chatham allowed no runs.
“Trace has come on strong for us,” Chatham explained. “He threw the last game against Sonoma, and he threw really well and he’s found the strike zone this year. He was kind of a later bloomer with finding the strike zone. He did a good job with that. I thought that he went out there and did really well for us.
“Aiden hasn’t given up and earned run all year,” the coach said of his son. “That’s his fourth appearance I believe. I thought he did really well and commanded the zone. We have to make sure that we continue to do that one through seven, all throughout our innings.”
Both teams will continue the league season next Wednesday at 4 pm. Sonoma Valley will make a return trip to Napa to face Justin-Siena. Meanwhile, Napa will host league-leader Casa Grande-Petaluma. In that game against Casa Grande, Napa should face Long Beach State signee, Gavin Ochoa.
Sonoma Valley will be back in action tomorrow for a rare non-league game against a league opponent when they host Vintage at 7 pm at Arnold Field.
In other VVAL games Friday afternoon, Vintage beat American Canyon 12-3. Petaluma beat Justin-Siena 9-7.
