Justin-Siena picks up gritty win over Napa on heels of three-run rally in seventh
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
When a team comes back late in a game, it shows a lot of grit and determination.
On Friday afternoon, that’s what the Justin-Siena baseball team did when they came from behind in the seventh to beat Napa High 4-3 at Mount Field.
“Grit was the word for sure,” Justin-Siena manager Jeremy Tayson said of the come-from-behind victory. “We’ve spent a lot of time developing our culture and chemistry lately and today that really paid off. Playing Napa is no picnic and both teams brought it today.”
With the victory, the Braves were able to avenge their 6-4 loss on March 30th to Napa.
The comeback was highlighted by Madden Edwards who hit a two-run homer to left field with his team down to their final strike.
“Initially, I was just going up there and just thinking to put the ball right up the middle, just trying to get the next guy up,” Edwards said of his at-bat. “The guy threw great and I had full count and I was just trying to keep battling off. He threw me a really good curveball, and barely nicked it. Then finally he came with the fastball and I was just waiting on it. It was right in the sweet spot and I put it over the fence – felt amazing.”
The at-bat Edwards had was an epic one that lasted nine total pitches and saw four foul balls before the long ball that also brought home Robby Sangiacomo who was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
“Madden prides himself as a self-appointed, composed guy,” Tayson said. “So that was a relentless at-bat right there 8, 9, 10 pitches both guys Newman, who pitched a great game, and Madden got the better of them right there just staying composed.”
Edwards ended the day going 1-for-4 with the long ball, a run scored, and two RBIs. But before that, he made an error catching a ball at first base that let Elliott Zuidema reach base before he moved up to second on a Dylan Snider groundout and scored on a Connor Ross single to left field.
Before that, Justin-Siena (14-5 overall, 4-4 Vine Valley Athletic League) pushed a run across in the seventh when Nick Andrews walked and advanced to third on a passed ball and wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly to right field by Everet Johnson.
The Braves’ other run in the game came in the fourth when Johnson doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a double by Timmy Walsh.
Leading the Braves at the plate was Walsh (3-for-4 two singles, double, RBI), Gianni Natuzzi (1-for-2 single), Jake Fletcher (1-for-2 single, walk), Johnson (1-for-3 double, RBI), Andrews (1-for-3 single, walk, run scored), and Sangiacomo (1-for-3 single).
Napa (9-11, 4-5 VVAL) scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first. Zuidema singled and advanced on a Snider groundout to second before scoring on a double to left field by Cam Taylor.
The Grizzlies also took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Graham Chapouris doubled and came home on a bloop single to center by Kaleb Matulich.
Leading Napa at the plate in the contest was Taylor (2-for-3 single, double, RBI), Zuidema (2-for-4 two singles, two runs scored), Matulich (1-for-3 single, RBI), Ross (1-for-3 single, RBI), Chapouris (1-for-3 single, run scored), Dylan Scopesi (1-for-3 single), and Leo Saldivar (1-for-3 single).
Getting the win for Justin-Siena was Andrews. The senior right-hander allowed three runs to cross with just two of them being earned. He also struck out five while throwing 85 pitches.
He said he didn’t have his best stuff early in the game before it came to him in the middle of the contest.
“At the beginning, I couldn’t I couldn’t locate my curveball,” Andrews explained. “They scored early in the first. After that first, I started locating my curveball more and my defense had my back behind me. We had a few mistakes but they kept grinding we kept picking each other up and we finished the game off strong.”
Pitching well and taking the loss was Dylan Newman. In 6 ⅔ innings of work, he allowed four runs on 103 pitches. He also struck out four and walked two. Newman also wiggled out of a lot of trouble throughout the game.
Napa High manager Jason Chatham said Newman did everything they asked of him and that he gave them a chance to win.
“He has been dominant all year,” he said. “He doesn’t do it with strikeouts. He doesn’t do it with necessarily a low ERA. He does it with keeping the team in the game and that’s what he did today. He kept us in the game.”
Both teams will continue VVAL play next Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm. Justin-Siena will return to their home diamond to take on Casa Grande of Petaluma. Meanwhile, Napa will visit Vintage for the final Big Game of the season.
In the last meetings on April 1st, Casa Grande beat Justin-Siena 5-1 and Vintage beat Napa 8-6.
Other VVAL action on Friday saw Sonoma Valley beat American Canyon 9-1. To view the updated league standings, go here.
