Four-run third inning proves to be pivotal as Justin-Siena beats Sonoma Valley
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
With every game being so tight in the Vine Valley Athletic League, it’s going to test you to see how good you are at coming back.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Justin-Siena baseball team showed they can come back as they beat Sonoma Valley 8-3.
The Braves (13-3 overall, 3-3 VVAL) found themselves trailing by a pair of runs in the last half of the third. However, that inning is when they seized control of the contest with a four-run rally. Justin-Siena took the lead when Timmy Walsh singled to left field and brought in Matt Chadsey and Robby Sangiacomo. Sangiacomo singled and Chadsey reached on an error that brought in Madden Edwards who singled and got to second on Sangiacomo’s single.
“My approach that at-bat was to just kind of hit the ball back up the middle. Just kind of trying to put something in play, get something going,” Walsh said of his go-ahead single in the third. “Good things happen when you put the ball in play. So that’s my approach.”
The first run of the third came when Dalen Tinsley singled and stole second before moving to third on a balk and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Everet Johnson.
Sonoma Valley (6-9, 3-3 VVAL) scored all of their runs in the top of the third on three straight extra-base hits.
Justin-Siena manager Jeremy Tayson was happy to see his team score seven unanswered runs after getting down in the game.
“I think they scored three extra-base hits in a row and they were loud,” he explained. “So to see us come back and take a couple of punches and then land the final ones were really awesome for our guys to see. (It) just shows good resilience and good confidence in each other.”
Justin-Siena also scored two in the fourth when Gianni Natuzzi walked before stealing second and tagging to third on a Nick Andrews flyout. Natuzzi scored on a Tinsley single. A single by Edwards brought in Tinsley.
The Braves scored the first run of the game in the first inning to gain an early lead. Andrews set the table by singling and moving to second on a throwing error before scoring on a Johnson single.
“Him (Andrews) and Everet really set the tone there because that’s something we’ve really been working hard on practice is situational hitting in the games where we haven’t had a lot of success,” Tayson said of the first-inning offense. “We haven’t cashed in so we’ve really been working hard on that this week. So it’s good for us to do that.”
In the fifth, Justin-Siena scored their final run of the game Trevor L’Esperance walked and moved to second on a fielder’s choice before coming in on a single by Andrews.
Leading the Braves at the plate were Andrews (2-for-4 two singles, RBI, run), Chasdey (2-for-4 two singles, run), Natuzzi (1-for-2 single, stolen base), Walsh (1-for-3 single, stolen base, two RBIs), Tinsley (1-for-3 single, RBI, two runs, two stolen bases), and Edwards (1-for-3 single, run, RBI).
Getting the win on the bump was Tinsley. The junior went three frames allowing three runs. He also walked two and struck out one on 52 pitches.
Earning the four-inning save was David Elias. He allowed just two hits and struck out two as well. He also threw 52 pitches.
“Whenever he comes in, I have confidence in him like makes me want to go track down a ball and make a play for him,” Walsh said of Elias. “So when he’s up there, we got confidence in him.”
Both teams are scheduled to continue VVAL play later this week. Justin-Siena will play a rare Thursday league game tomorrow against Vintage. That game could be in trouble with looming weather that could hit Thursday. As for Sonoma Valley, they will visit Casa Grande-Petaluma on Friday. Both games are scheduled to start at 4 pm.
In the last meetings on March 23rd, Justin-Siena beat Vintage 4-1 and Sonoma Valley beat Casa Grande 9-8 in extra innings.
The other two VVAL games on Wednesday were also in Napa. In those games, Petaluma beat Vintage 4-2 and Casa Grande beat Napa 10-9. To view the updated league standings, go here.
