Davianis throws complete game shutout, gets help from ground game as Petaluma beats Justin-Siena
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
When executed properly, a good ground attack can be very tough to stop and defend against. After all, it puts pressure on the defense to make a perfect play.
On Tuesday afternoon at Braves Diamond, visiting Petaluma used their ground attack to perfection to beat Justin-Siena, 4-0, in a Vine Valley Athletic League contest.
Petaluma (9-5-1 overall, 4-1 VVAL) scored right away with a run in the top of the first. Dante Vachini started it all with a single before stealing second base to set up a scoring opportunity. He then came in when Aaron Devainis ripped a double that curled inside the third base bag and into the left-field corner.
In the third, Petaluma scored another run to go up 2-0. Raime Dayton began the frame with an infield single and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Finn Lindgren and to third on another infield single by Vachini. When Vachini went to steal second, he drew a throw to allow Dayton to score from third.
The Trojans scored their final two runs of the game in the fifth. Rowan Ball singled and then stole second base before scoring on a single by Vachini. Vachini stole second base again and then scored on a single by Palmer that was part of a perfectly executed hit-and-run.
“They did a really good job of playing their game,” Justin-Siena head coach and skipper Jeremy Tayson said of the ground game. “That’s why they’re they’re a good program and the defending league champions is they’re, they’re well educated on their roles and their games and they just tip the cap to him. That was good baseball on their part playing their game.”
In the game, Petaluma stole a whopping seven bases. They were able to use the ground game to apply pressure on the Braves with hit-and-runs and some other forms of small ball.
The Braves (7-4, 2-2 VVAL) had very limited opportunities to do much of anything in the contest. They also only had seven base runners the whole game, with just one of them getting into scoring position.
Justin-Siena was led at the plate by Everet Johnson (2-for-3 double), Drew Sangiacomo (1-for-2), Jason Gray (1-for-3), Sam Denkin (1-for-3), and Henry Meyers (1-for-1).
All of this was due to the simply fantastic effort Devainis had on the bump for Petaluma. In a complete game shutout, he struck out 11 and walked just 1. He also gave up 6 hits and threw 105 pitches. This was the second winning decision for the 6-foot-4, 250-pound senior righty who is committed to the University of California Berkeley.
“He made good pitches when he needed to,” Tayson pointed out. “I was really happy with our at-bats. We had some good hits in there today and we were really, really competing all the way through. I mean you’re talking about a guy that’s a well-regarded dude. So when he needed to make those pitches deepened accounts he did.”
On the other side of that coin is Dalen Tinsley who took any tough luck loss. The senior right-hander worked 5 innings where he allowed 4 runs to score, 2 of which were earned. He struck out 4 and had no walks on 79 pitches. Tinsley gave up 6 hits as well.
“Dalen seems to have had a little bit of hard luck here and there,” Tayson explained. “He pitches a little bit better than the line dictates. I think of his first five hits he gave up, four were infield singles. So he’s throwing the ball well, he’s not given up barrels and baseball is a funny game things find holes, things drop in, and that’s just how it goes. But he’s getting better and better every time out and drawing tough assignments.”
Working in relief again was Cesar Evina. The senior finished the final two frames where he struck out 3 and walked 1 on just 32 pitches. He also gave up just one hit.
Evina served as a change of pace after Tinsley. He has been thriving is role as the first guy out of the bullpen this season as well. He’s been given high-leverage situations as well.
“Well said on the change of pace,” Tayson continued. “He’s also really really maturing and buying into the fact that he is a viable weapon on the mound. I think the more he throws the more confidence he gets. So yeah, he just continues to be a shot in the arm for us every time he takes the mound.”
Both teams will continue VVAL play on Thursday afternoon at 4 pm. Petaluma will return home to face Vintage. Meanwhile, Justin-Siena will visit Sonoma Valley.
In the only other VVAL game on Tuesday, Napa beat Sonoma Valley 5-0. You can view the updated league standings here.
