Late-inning comeback propels Vintage past Benicia in thriller to get first home win
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
When it comes to winning a close game, it’s all about the little details. Those little details are how you win close games.
Those details proved very important on Thursday night at Crusher Field when the Vintage baseball team edged Bencia, 5-4, in a game that came down to the final at-bat. The win is the Crushers’ first on their home field as well. Like everyone else, the weather has made playing games hard at the start of the season.
Vintage (2-2) took the lead in the fifth inning. Jefferey Page singled before advancing to second on a fielder’s choice and then scoring when Carson McCaffrey beat out a double-play ball, which allowed Page to score from second base on the play.
Before that, the Crushers also scored a pair of runs to knot things up at 4 in the third where they scored a pair of runs. It all started when Noah Piersig reached on an error and Page legged out an infield single and both advanced a base on a throwing error before scoring on another single by Gabe Pacheco.
“I think we were really built up the intensity,” Vintage junior catcher and Saint Mary’s commit Ian Fernandez pointed out of the three runs that the Crushers scored to regain the lead. “Definitely better approaches at the plate and our bass running was just fantastic.”
However, in the top half of the fourth Bencia (4-3-1) scored all of their runs. This was due in large part to some errors that were made as well.
The Crushers started the game hot in the first as they notched a pair of scores early on. Kai Gulliksen singled and got to second on a wild pitch before going to third on a walk by Carson Hall and then scoring on a bases-loaded walk by Piersig. John Bullock also walked and later scored on a wild pitch in that inning.
“They just saw the ball,” Vintage manager Billy Smith said of the first-inning rally. “I was very impressed with Kai (Gulliksen) on that first at-bat. He got up, jumped on the ball, and the leadoff guy kind of sets the tone for the rest.”
Leading the Vintage batting attack in the game was Page. The junior two-sport athlete went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and a pair of runs scored. Page also provides a lot of energy from the bottom third of the lineup.
“The intensity he brings is just amazing,” Fernandez said of Page’s importance in the lineup. “His base running, his throws, he’s got a cannon. He just brings intensity and brings the team up even more. We know we have a ton of guys like that. But he is just one of a kind and those close plays into home (plate) were clutch.”
Others having nice days at the plate were Piersig (1-for-2, RBI), Lucas Avina (1-for-2), and Gulliksen (1-for-4, run).
Getting the win in the game Miles Tenscher. The submarining junior right-hander worked 1 ⅔ innings striking out three and walking two on 31 pitches.
Joseph Willis earned the save by getting the final out of the game with the bases loaded in the seventh. The junior righty walked one in just 11 pitches to get the save.
Starting in the game and getting a no-decision was Carter Haven. The senior righty worked five frames, throwing 70 pitches. In those innings, he gave up four runs – all of which were unearned. He struck out four and walked no one.
“I was proud of him,” Smith said of the effort that Haven gave. “He did his job. Defensively, we made five errors on him and then you make one bad pitch and they get a couple (of) runs off it when it should have been no runs and just a couple (of) hits.”
The Crushers won’t have much time to enjoy this win as they still have two more games to play over the next few days. Vine Valley Athletic League play gets underway on Friday night when they visit Sonoma Valley at Arnold Field with a 7 pm first pitch. Then, they’ll visit Ukiah on Saturday at 2 pm.
