Justin-Siena’s early inning offense leads them to first-ever league win over Vintage
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
It’s always nice to get a monkey off your back. Sometimes beating a team for the first time can be the hardest one to get.
That was what the Justin-Siena baseball team did on Wednesday when they beat Vintage 4-1 in both teams league opener.
It’s a pretty big win for Justin-Siena as well. Coming into Wednesday, Justin-Siena had never beaten Vintage in league play. Last season, they came within an out of ending the streak.
“This is the most amazing feeling we’ve had as a team in our four years here,” Justin-Siena senior Nick Andrews said. “This has never been done in our time span here, so this is just like an amazing feeling.”
Andrews also had a marvelous outing in the game. He hurled a complete game and allowed just one run to score. The senior also struck out 8 while allowing 7 hits. He also improved to 3-0 on the season.
“Locating my fastball and being able to locate my off-speed to today was a big help,” Andrews said of his complete-game effort. “But the defense like was the major factor today because they shut it down behind me – and without them, it would have been a different game altogether.”
The Braves (9-0, 1-0 VVAL) saw their offense come to life early, as they erupted for three runs in the second inning. After Madden Edwards reached by way of an infield single, he scored on a single by Bryce Laukert. After singling, Robby Sangiacomo scored on a balk by Austin Whitehead when the bases were loaded. Dalen Tinsley’s bases load walk brought in Matt Chadsey who walked to get on base.
Justin-Siena’s other run came in the sixth inning when Laukert hit a solo shot to left field. It was Laukert’s first home run of the season.
“I wasn’t really thinking too much just get up there and keep the guys moving through the lineup,” Laukert explained. “I took that first pitch and was like alright, whatever, and then saw that second pitch come in, swung, and there you go. There go the fans.”
Justin-Siena manager Jeremy Tayson was also happy to see his senior first baseman hit the home run as well.
“Obviously he had the big hit to get us on the board,” he said. “Bryce is a guy that gives us a lot of energy – he’s got a great personality and kind of a throwback. For him to get his hands through there and get his hips through there and get that one out was really huge because, with any lineup and the way that our park plays, balls can leave at any moment. To get one more really put us at ease.”
Leading the way at the plate for Justin-Siena was Laukert (2-for-2 single, home run, walk, run, 2 RBIs), Edwards (1-for-2 single, run), Trevor L’Esperance (2-for-3 2 singles), Sangiacomo (2-for-3 2 singles, run), Tinsley (0-for-2 walk, RBI), and Matt Chadsey (0-for-2 walk, run).
The Crushers (4-4, 0-1 VVAL) pushed their only run across in the fourth inning. Eli Rojas reached on an infield single and later scored on a Justin Ray single.
Vintage also had chances to score in the fifth and seventh but was unable to push anything across.
Leading the way at the plate for the Crushers was Ray (2-for-3 2 singles, RBI, stolen base), Carter Haven (2-for-2 2 singles), Rojas (1-for-3 single, run), Ian Fernandez (1-for-3 single), and Dario Freschi (1-for-3 single).
Whitehead started the game for Vintage. The senior left-hander worked five innings and allowed three runs. He struck out three and walked one.
“He battled well,” Vintage second-year manager Billy Smith said of Whitehead. “He didn’t lose it he just got behind in the count. He didn’t get a couple of calls. He’s throwing good pitches. He’s around the zone, he just got beat on an 0-2 to pitch I think, and a 1-2 pitch, which is supposed to be now for us as a pitcher. We had it in our favor. They made a good adjustment, poked it to right.”
Peyten Czekalewski also worked an inning of relief for the Crushers.
Vintage will continue league play on Friday afternoon at 4 pm when they host Sonoma Valley. As for Justin-Siena, they will be off from league play Friday and will head to San Francisco on Saturday to face Lick-Wilmerding at 1 pm. Justin-Siena’s next league game will be next Wednesday at 4 pm when they host Napa.
In other VVAL action Wednesday, Napa beat American Canyon 10-3 and Sonoma Valley beat Casa Grande of Petaluma 9-8.
