On heels of four-run seventh, Napa gets past Justin-Siena in VVAL thriller
By Kyle Foster, photo courtesy of Don Lex (LuckyDuckImages.com)
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Oftentimes, a team that shows how resilient they are can be hard to put away. A team that battles till the final out is always going to be a tough game.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Napa High baseball team showed this when they scored four runs in the seventh to beat previously unbeaten Justin-Siena 6-4.
With the game tied in the top of the seventh, Connor Ross poked a single to right field that brought in Colby Chambers and gave the Grizzlies (7-6 overall, 2-1 VVAL) the lead.
“I really just came up there thinking a single gives us the lead,” Ross explained of his go-head single in the seventh. “I didn’t need to put up a shot. I didn’t need to rope one down the line – all I needed was a base hit and I got one.”
Napa also scored three more runs in the seventh. After singling, Graham Chapouris scored when Kaleb Matulich was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Matulich would later score when Leo Saldivar reached on an error. Dylan Scopesi reached on an error and scored on a Dylan Snider single.
“I just think it’s a lot of resiliency because there’s a lot of things that happened there,” Napa High manager Jason Chatham said of the four-run seventh. “Some balls were hit hard. Some balls were put on the ground on a bunt. I think that’s just a product of resiliency.”
In the first, it was Ross who gave Napa early momentum when he roped a two-run home run to left-center that also brought in Snider after being hit by a pitch.
“I was just sitting fastball the whole time,” Ross said of his first-inning round-tripper that was his second of the season. “He was missing up and then I saw it there and just threw hands and it carried.”
Ross ended the day going 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs and a run. Ross’s effort to lead the Grizzlies to victory was something that made Chatham happy.
“He’s the real deal,” the coach said. “I love the guy when he’s at the plate. I feel insanely confident and I love the approach he’s taken the last couple of games. I think that when Connor takes good approaches, good things happen.”
Other leading Napa at the plate were Chapouris (2-for-3 run), Snider (1-for-3 single, RBI, run), and Chambers (1-for-3 single, run).
The Braves (11-1, 1-1 VVAL) knotted things up early with a pair of runs in the third. Dalen Tinsley’s double brought home Timmy Walsh and Nick Andrews who singled and doubled to set up the RBI opportunity.
In the fifth, Justin-Siena took their first lead of the game when Walsh doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Trevor L’Esperence before scoring on a passed ball. In the sixth, Everet Johnson reached on an error that got him to second base and moved to third on a Robby Sangiacomo groundout before scoring on a wild pitch.
Leading the Braves at the plate were Walsh (2-for-3 double, single, two runs), Tinsley (1-for-3 double, two RBIs), and Andrews (1-for-4 double, run).
Getting the win was Dylan Newman. The win improved his record to 4-0 on the season. He struck out two and allowed four runs to score, three of which were earned runs. The senior right-hander was also very efficient throwing just 84 pitches in the game.
“We want to see strikes out of our guys and keep guys off-balance – that’s what Newman did,” Chatham said of his senior right-hander. “We don’t want to give up free passes, we want to control the running game – that’s what Newman did. He’s 6-foot-7. That ball comes in at a funky angle and there’s something to be said for that.”
Taking the loss was Andrews. The senior worked three innings in relief and struck out one. All four runs that crossed the plate in the seventh were unearned. Andrews hurled 34 total pitches in the game.
Tinsley started and worked four innings on the way to a no-decision. In those four frames, he struck out four and walked one. He also allowed two earned runs on 69 pitches.
“I was really proud of Dalen for giving up the two-run shot right out of the chute and going four strong after that,” Justin-Siena manager Jeremy Tayson said. “He’s still feeling his way out as a pitcher, and he’s been impressive.”
League play will continue for both teams on Friday at 4 pm. Napa will return to Mount Field to host rival Vintage in the first Big Game baseball of the season. Justin-Siena will travel to Petaluma to face Casa Grande who is the defending league champion.
In other VVAL action Wednesday, Petaluma beat Casa Grande 2-1 and Sonoma Valley beat American Canyon 13-3. You can view the updated league standings here.
