Three run seventh capped off by Chapouris’s walk off single leads Napa Valley Baseball Club 19U past San Bruno V.F.W. to stay unbeaten in pool play
By Kyle Foster
Follow on Twitter/X: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
Yountville-When things aren’t quite going your way, you have to keep playing. In baseball, it’s not over until the last out.
In their second game of pool play in the Bill Buckner Memorial 4th of July Memorial tournament, this is what the Napa Valley Baseball Club 19-and-under squad did as they beat San Bruno V.F.W., 5-4, in a game played at Cleve Borman Field.
As the game entered the bottom of the seventh NVBC (16-9-1) found themselves down 4-2. But that frame began with three straight singles by Blake Porter, Dario Freschi, and Noah Giovannelli to load the bases with no one out. A bases-loaded walk by John Bullock brought in Porter. Then, Graham Chapouris came to the plate and sent a single to right-center to bring in Freschi and Giovannelli to end the game in a walk-off fashion.
“Honestly, my thought was to hit a home run because why not,” Chapouris said of his final at-bat’s mindset. “I mean, we got bases loaded. A pop-up scores a run either way to tie it. The pitcher that came in the game was throwing slow right down the middle. You knew you were getting a hit. I just wanted to get the best one I could. I mean, wasn’t the best hit but it did the job.”
As one of the older players on the 19U squad, Chapouris is also a bit more of a leader. He and Nigel Clay are both back to finish off their time playing baseball with NVBC.
“Just the maturity in the sense of they are in college,” Napa Valley Baseball Club 19U head coach Bob Freschi explained. “They know what they have to bring to the table. Nigel is such a competitor, he could play any position, you’ll see him pitch tomorrow or Sunday. So the ability to do it, just maintain that focus and know ‘Hey, I’m gonna play and I’m gonna compete’, and he’s such a gamer. Graham has just the poise and just the demeanor of no situation is big for him.”
He is also enjoying this summer of playing baseball after graduating in 2023 from Napa High and this is his only way to play baseball before aging out.
“This is my last year, so it’s nice to be up here one last time,” Chapouris said. “I have done it my whole life. It’s nice to do it one last time with all my friends and be back up here.”
Before that Napa Valley Baseball Club only had scored twice. In the fourth, Bullock doubled to left-center and moved to third when Chapouris reached on an error. He came into score on a single by James Burgess.
Then, in the sixth, they were able to scratch a run across Chapouris was hit by a pitch, and got to second on a walk by Ben Sebastiani. On a single by Bo Lode, Chapouris scored.
Leading the NVBC hitting attack in the game were Chapouris (2-for-2 run, 2 RBIs), Freschi (3-for-4 stolen base, run), Bullock 1-for-3 double, walk, run, RBI), Porter (1-for-3 walk, run), and Giovannelli (1-for-4 run).
San Bruno began the game by scoring a run in the third when Ryan Wilson singled and was run for by Bryce Brooks who stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Julio Ceron. A sacrifice fly to center by Joe Tresitte brought in Brooks.
They got two more in the fourth. It began when Michael Rioran Jr. reached on an error and scored on a double to right-center by Jameson Barnes. Then, a deep sacrifice fly to center by DJ Sanchez brought in Barnes from second.
San Bruno scored its last run of the game in the seventh. Wilson doubled into the gap in right-center and was run for by Dylan Barba who scored on another double to right-center by Ceron.
Getting the win in the game was Porter. He worked the final 2 ⅔ innings of the game in relief where he struck out 2 and walked 2. Porter threw 42 pitches and allowed an earned run in the game.
Before that, Bullock worked the first 4 ⅓ innings of the game. He struck out 3 and walked 1 in the game while allowing 3 runs to score, 1 of them being earned. He threw just 52 pitches and allowed 2 hits.
“Bullock and Blake did a great job pitching,” Freschi said. “When you give up only four runs with our offense, we’ll take that any time of the week. They did their job so proud of those guys and we just competed.”
With the win, NVBC has locked up a spot in Sunday’s semifinals. The only question now is whether they’ll play in the 9 am game as the Pool 1 runner-up or the 12:15 game as the Pool 1 winner. With a win over the American Canyon Mallards in the final game tomorrow at 4:45 pm, they will be the winners of their pool.
In the other pool 1 game, San Bruno beat American Canyon 7-3.
Pool 2 games were the second half of the day. In the first one, the San Francisco Cardinals beat Community Projects of Napa Crushers 12-6. In the last game of the day, the SF Cardinals beat NVBC 17U 2-1. That pool will come down to the SF Cardinals and South San Francisco Trojans, with both going to play on Sunday. Tomorrow will be the last games for the Napa Crushers and NVBC 17s who will play at 2:15.
Once again games will begin at 9 am and finish with the 4:45 pm game on Saturday. There is a snack bar available and admission to get in is $5. The speed limit at the Veterans Home is 15 mph.
