Stompers allow season-high 11 runs in defeat against Crawdads

The Stompers couldn’t climb out of a five-run first-inning hole, leading to their defeat against the Crawdads Wednesday.

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Last time Devon Laguinto took the mound, he delivered a standout performance for the Stompers. The right-handed pitcher tossed a three-hit, 10-strikeout complete game shutout to boost them over the Legends. Laguinto had been a workhorse, pitching five-plus innings in three of his last four starts entering Wednesday.

But manager Zack Pace wanted to give him a less intense day against the Crawdads. He said Laguinto would most likely pitch between three and four innings, with Cole Pacheco, Harun Pelja and Christian Klostermann slotted in relief. And while that did happen, it didn’t go according to plan.

Behind a dud from Sonoma’s (22-14, 18-12 CCL) pitching staff, Walnut Creek reclaimed first place in the CCL North with an 11-8 victory. Laguinto pitched a season-low two innings while tying a season high in runs allowed (five). Pacheco and Pelja weren’t much better, surrendering four runs in the middle 4.2 innings.

“We were going with them no matter what,” Pace said postgame of his staff. “We needed to eat up the innings, and we didn’t really have anyone else.”

In the current portion of Sonoma’s schedule, every game’s a battle for a top playoff seed. On Tuesday versus Alameda, the Stompers took the first-place spot. Wednesday saw them fall. The Crawdads and Merchants are always going to give Sonoma some trouble, and the latest incident was on Wednesday.

Right from the first inning, the Stompers fell into a hole. After Colton Boardman, Max Handron and McCann Libby were set away in order, Laguinto forced Trey Johnson to fly out. From there, though, Brady Wilson walked before making a trip around the bases after hits from Joey Donnelly and John Youens.

Another walk loaded the bases for the Crawdads, and Ryley Leininger’s single, mixed with an error by Cameron Hegamin, plated two more runs. Boardman followed his defensive performance on Tuesday — which saw a first-inning mistake — with one on Wednesday. Brandon Clizbe and Leininger scored on the play.

“I just told our guys to take their time a little bit more. We don’t need to do too much on anything,” Pace said. “Make the routine play. Take those outs when (the Crawdads) give it to us.”

With the offensive outburst over, Sonoma added one run back. In the third, Trent Keys and Hegamin walked, while Keys advanced to third on a flyout from Boardman. Handron then knocked a single to send Hegamin to second and score Keys, cutting the deficit.

But it wouldn’t last long. Pacheco toed the rubber in the bottom half and gave up a double to Leininger — the second of his three hits — on his second pitch. Leininger advanced to third on a wild pitch, and chaos ensued.

Pacheco hit a batter and walked one more before recording an out. He gave up just two hits in the inning, but three runs crossed home courtesy of another wild pitch and extended miscues. The 8-1 score indicated defeat, yet the Stompers didn’t bow out.

They scored four runs over their next two times up. Brady Shannon roped a double to drive in Matthias Haas, and a Keys single scored Shannon. Then, Paul Lizzul displayed his clutch factor — similar to his game-winning home run on Tuesday — with an RBI double to send in Libby. To close the scoring barrage, Haas singled, and the deficit became four (9-5).

Sonoma persisted through challenge after challenge. However, a two-spot for Walnut Creek in the seventh was a step in the wrong direction. Pelja’s used to opening games, but his middle-inning experience posed a new challenge.

He hit a batter, gave up a base hit and a run came home on an error by Lizzul. A wild pitch capped off the rough stretch. The game looked all but decided, but the Stompers had a little gas remaining.

In the eighth, Connor Pawlowski singled and Shannon drove him in with a two-run home run — his third of the summer. An error by Leininger brought Keys from first to third, and he scored too on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Ben Sebastiani.

But that was all that was left in the tank. Klostermann pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, while Libby, Lizzul and Haas were all retired to end the contest.

“We just gotta keep on working at it and try to get better each day,” Pace said. “Just gotta show up tomorrow, put our hard hats on and get going again.”

3-1 win over Merchants boosts Stompers to 1st place in CCL North

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

After making an error in the top of the sixth, Paul Lizzul crushed a two-run home run 356 feet in the bottom half to reclaim the Stompers’ lead they never relinquished.

With 11 games remaining in the Stompers’ season, they’re in their best position yet. Tuesday’s matchup is the reason why. The Crawdads were the CCL North’s heavyweight team in 2024. They made it to the championship before falling to the Oaks.

This year, Walnut Creek has once again put on a clinic, leading the league in the standings for much of the season. Sonoma’s been floating around the third-place mark, but on Tuesday, it faced the Merchants, who swept in and had taken first place from the Crawdads.

Things were all knotted up. Walnut Creek and Alameda sat one game ahead of the Stompers. Now, Sonoma holds the crown. In claiming their third straight win with a 3-1 victory over the Merchants, the Stompers (22-13, 18-11 CCL) took first place in the CCL North for the first time this season.

“We tell our guys every day’s a big game,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said humbly pregame. “Today’s not any different than any other day. It’s just about going with the same mindset we have every single time.”

Pace strongly emphasizes “winning the week.” As long as the Stompers can do that each time they come out to Arnold Field, Pace knows they’ll be in a good spot come the end of the season. Sonoma’s won the last four weeks. Tuesday’s contest with Alameda was a key step to No. 5.

Defensively, the Stompers came out with little discipline. Colton Boardman booted a ball in the first inning, and uncertainty surrounded Shawn McBroom, who pitched against the same Merchants team on July 2 and allowed three runs in 2.1 innings.

Boardman’s error was a sign of bad things to come, as he’s been one of the Stompers’ defensive pacesetters. And while it wasn’t even close to his fault, Sonoma followed in his direction and ended with five errors.

“I told the (team) we need to clean that up. We need to do a better job with that,” Pace said postgame. “Our guys work harder than anyone. They’re out there every day. It’s hard to fault their effort.”

Even with the miscues in the field, McBroom worked around them to complete a four-inning masterclass. After escaping a two-runner jam in the first inning, McBroom retired the side in order in the following frame. 

In the third, Aidan Taclas singled to left field and reached second on another error, this one by Trent Keys. But McBroom again held down the fort. McBroom capped his outing with a 14-pitch fourth inning, in which Angelo Luna, Chase Ditmar and Fabian Gomez were all punched on strikes.

“He really finished strong with those three strikeouts and really helped us to a good start to the week,” Pace said of McBroom. “He had all three pitches thrown for strikes. Really just filling up the zone and keeping hitters off balance, he did a great job.”

Offensively, Sonoma stalled. Its defense brought it down, and it struggled to find ways to crack Merchants’ starter Jaden Bitter. In the fifth, though, the Stompers got on the board. As seen in prior innings, Sonoma was quickly in a two-out situation. Keys and Luke Duncan struck out. But Cameron Hegamin brought life.

He was hit by a pitch and immediately stole second on Boardman’s at-bat. On a passed ball, Hegamin reached third, and all of a sudden, Boardman redeemed himself from his early error with a bloop single into centerfield to put the Stompers in front.

Kyle Seo relieved his brother Ryan and allowed Alameda to tie the game on a laser sacrifice fly lined to right field. Brady Shannon used his Division I-quarterback arm to try and gun Taclas at the plate, but it bounced in just late.

Kyle’s surrendered run wouldn’t have happened without an error. Duncan threw a ball into the ground when Taclas began to run, and he reached third when it skirted into center field. After meaningless mistakes, one of them finally came back to bite Sonoma.

But it quickly bounced back. After Taclas scored, a pop-up was hit to Paul Lizzul at first base. He dropped the rock, and a runner reached base. Lizzul expressed visual frustration, but he shoved it away during his at-bat in the bottom half.

McCann Libby had just singled. Lizzul was in the cleanup slot. He had a chance to right his previous wrong, and after one foul, he pimped an offering from reliever Nick Fenton 356 feet over the right-center field fence to reclaim the Stompers’ lead.

“I’m just thinking a top half approach. Really trying to create good bat speed, and I think it’s been working,” Lizzul said postgame. “I went up there looking for offspeed. He threw a chageup, and the rest is history.”

Lizzul’s home run was the icing on the cake. A cake that Sonoma’s been hungry for all season. Just to be sure, though, Heeryun Han and Braden Guentz combined to throw three scoreless innings to seal the Stompers’ victory.

Handron, Shannon go deep as Stompers roll past Seagulls 18-2

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Max Handron brought a calm and consistent bat to Cal Berkeley’s offense. In 149 games with the Golden Bears, Handron started 137 and hit 24 home runs alongside 90 RBIs. He defied the odds, especially during his time at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he hit .306 across two seasons.

Since 2022, Handron has done the same with the Stompers. He’s been a reliable piece to Sonoma’s offense and brings life to its offense that’s sometimes stalled in his absence over the last two weeks. 

In the third inning of the Stompers’ Sunday matchup with the Seagulls, Handron came to the plate. There were two outs, and Sonoma held a firm 6-0 lead. Colton Boardman was on first base, Kieran Baker was on second and Esteban Sepulveda stood on third.

On the first pitch to Handron from newly entered reliever Rhys Appleby, the left-handed hitter smoked a line drive over the right field fence to give the Stompers a double-digit lead. Handron’s grand slam — which counted for his first home run of the summer — put Sonoma (21-13, 17-11 CCL) out of reach, as it went on to rout San Francisco 18-2.

Max Handron’s third-inning grand slam in Sunday’s matchup against the Seagulls gave the Stompers a commanding 10–0 lead, effectively putting the game out of reach.

“I’m really proud of our guys for the way they battle,” Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame. “They just keep on grinding every day. They’re working their tails off to get better and it shows. I thought we had a really good approach today, and our pitchers did an outstanding job.”

Speaking of Sonoma’s pitching, Handron wasn’t the only one who made a significant impact. After nearly three weeks off in mid-June, Jayden Harper returned to the mound for the Stompers on June 28. Then, he willed them to a 10-5 win over the first-place Crawdads. On Sunday, his stuff took over again.

After the Stompers scored two in the first inning, Harper kept them in front with a quick four-batter inning, just allowing a leadoff single to Josh Hanson. Hanson’s base hit would turn out to be Harper’s only hit allowed, as he struck out six batters and walked just one in four innings of work.

But what made Harper’s outing even more magnificent was his immaculate inning, which came in the second. The left-handed pitcher fanned Justin Sechler on three straight swinging strikes before doing the same to Finn Whalen. Derek Waldvogel went to the dish, but he had no luck either, also falling on three consecutive pitches.

“I think that’s the first one I’ve seen,” Pace said of Harper’s immaculate inning. “That was a pretty cool thing to see. (Harper) did a great job today. Filled it up. Four quality innings. He’s a great arm for us.”

As Harper, Jaden Mason, Christian Klostermann and Justin Jones held it down on the bump, the offense continued to spark. While Handron’s longball marked a turning point in the early innings, Brady Shannon nearly hit for the cycle.

He led off the second inning with a single after battling through 10 pitches. In the third, he added a punch before Handron’s grand slam with a two-run shot of his own. The fourth saw him walk; he tripled in the fifth, which became his last time reaching base.

“It was really good out of him today. He was squaring up balls,” Pace said of Shannon. “I was really happy to see him get back on track. Hopefully, now he gets rolling a little bit.”

Entering Sunday, Esteban Sepulveda was 2-for-21 as of late. He added to Shannon and Handron’s fun with three knocks in four at-bats, also walking twice as a part of the Stompers’ 13 free passes.

With Sonoma’s offense clicking and its pitching dominating, the Seagulls weren’t fighting for a win anymore. They were pushing for their loss to look less painful. And while they scored twice in the seventh behind a Jordan Maske triple and wild pitch, it doesn’t take away the dominance the Stompers showed.

They had six hitters with two-plus hits. They struck out 13 batters. They made just one error. And they tallied 15 total hits, lifting them to a promising second half of their season with four straight weeks won.

“(All games) are big ones, and that’s what we preach to these guys every day,” Pace said. “It’s just about showing up with that same attitude, ready to win.”

Stompers cruise past Merchants 9-2 behind 3-run 3rd inning and Santivanez’s start

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Behind a three-run third inning and another efficient outing from right-hander Nick Santivanez, the Stompers (20-13, 16-11 CCL) closed out their holiday weekend homestand with a 9-2 win over the Merchants on Saturday night at Arnold Field.

Sonoma’s offense exploded for nine hits and drew 11 walks, punishing an Alameda pitching staff that struggled to find the zone all evening. Sonoma has now scored 23 runs over its last two games and continues to surge in the CCL North standings.

“Getting back on the win streak against (Alameda feels good),” Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame. “It was definitely a good win. A really good crowd out here, and good to (see) tonight.”

The turning point came in the third inning. With the game sitting scoreless, Connor Pawlowski reached third after a single and a few Merchants’ miscues. Max Handron delivered an RBI single, and Pawlowski came home. By the time the inning ended, the Stompers had built a 3-0 cushion, courtesy of a Paul Lizzul double and a McCann Libby base hit.

The following inning, Pawlowski was plated again after reliever Dominic Cristinzio made an error. Control was extended for Sonoma, and it would only get larger. Trent Keys started the sixth with a walk, followed by Anthony Scheppler and Pawlowski reaching the same way.

Staying true to the trend, Ben Sebastiani walked to plate Keys, before Colton Boardman was hit by a pitch to score another. The lead grew to 6-1, and in the seventh, Keys, Scheppler and Pawlowski put the finishing touch on the win with three more runs.

“They gave us a lot of free passes, which really helped us out,” Pace said. “I was really proud of our guys with their approach. They did a good job of taking what the other guys were gonna give us.”

On the mound, Santivanez stayed strong with five innings of one-run ball. A complete relief effort was then showcased with Heeryun Han, Luke Duncan, Harun Pelja and Braden Guentz each pitching one inning, while Pelja gave up Alameda’s only other run.

The win improves the Stompers to 16-11 on the season, while the Merchants fall to 12-7. Jayden Harper will be on the mound Sunday against the Seagulls, looking to build on Sonoma’s renewed rhythm.

Stompers celebrate 4th of July with 14-7 win over Knicks

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Few things pair better in life than America’s pastime and the Fourth of July, especially nestled in Wine Country. It’s festive, fun and displays the tight-knit community Sonoma possesses. The Stompers only add to that.

The Stompers exploded for 10 runs in the first three innings en route to their 14-7 win on Friday.

They walk in Sonoma’s annual July 4 parade. And nothing beats a win a few hours later. On Friday, the Stompers got it done, capping a magical holiday.

Carried by 10 runs in the first three innings, Sonoma (19-13, 15-11 CCL) defeated the Novato Knicks 14-7. It wasn’t a league game, but the Stompers came out hot and never looked back.

“We had good plate appearances, and some guys swung the stick pretty well,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said postgame. “We’ll take it (going forward).”

When the box score shows an explosion of early offense like Friday’s did, it’s usually a sign of a team locked in. After Thursday’s surprising loss to the Seagulls, though, it wasn’t expected. The Stompers strung together timely hits, capitalized on Novato’s miscues and brought energy to the Arnold Field crowd.

Names that hadn’t been as notable stepped up, showcasing the depth the Stompers have. It began almost right away. Anthony Scheppler — who’s struggled as of late — cracked his first home run of the summer. The moment was significant, but the result was even more so. Scheppler’s knock was a grand slam and immediately put Sonoma in the driver’s seat.

After Jaxen Rowland surrendered three runs in the top of the second, the Stompers' offense picked up where it left off. Cameron Hegamin singled — one of his three hits in the matchup — to plate Heeryun Han.

The following frame, Ben Sebastiani joined the party with a three-run home run — his first of the summer — right after Trevor Schlafer added two more with a base hit.

“Both (Anthony and Ben) have been working their tails off and getting better,” Pace said. “I see it every day. It was really good to see them get the results today, and hopefully that can continue.”

A 10-4 lead was similar to Sonoma’s final scores. Only through three innings, though, more was definitely set to come. And while it took time, the Stompers put Novato out of reach in the seventh and eighth.

After Nicholas Poulus allowed a three-run sixth inning for the Knicks, which brought them within three runs, Paul Lizzul and Esteban Sepulveda nearly erased the comeback effort with a fielder’s choice and an RBI double.

Now up five in the eighth, Lizzul mashed an RBI double to score Sebastiani, and Scheppler walked with the bases loaded to bring in Han for run No. 14. From there, Patrick Atkinson pitched a scoreless ninth inning in his first outing since May 28 to seal the win.

Seagulls earn revenge with 6-4 win over Stompers

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

For Sonoma, it was a regular game. For San Francisco, it was a matter of revenge. The Stompers had won the last two games in the teams’ season series. One was 14-3 dominance. The other was nearly a repeat, a 14-0 win one day later.

The Seagulls weren’t just hungry. They were relentless, finding ways to defeat Sonoma in any way they could. Would it be from pitching? From offense? For San Francisco, it was from both. The Seagulls outhit Sonoma by three. The notched more double plays. They found ways to win in all facets of the game.

For the Stompers (18-13, 15-11 CCL), it was a 6-4 defeat. For San Francisco, it was a step in the right direction. One that was highly significant in the Seagulls’ now 6-18 league record. 

“Our hitters were caring too much about the results,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said postgame. “We gotta try not to care so much about the results and care more about the process.”

The Stompers have been quiet on offense lately. After recent wins over the Crawdads and Legends, the Seagulls gave Sonoma problems. An early lead has been the answer to most of the Stompers’ issues. On Thursday, it wasn't.

In the first inning, Sonoma jumped ahead. Trent Keys grounded out to score Cameron Hegamin. McCann Libby then reached on an error to plate Nic Sebastiani. The 2-0 lead was comforting, especially with David Howard — whose birthday was Thursday — on the mound.

Howard’s been a flame thrower, not allowing an earned run since June 6. In that loss, Howard’s opponent hit .231. Since then, his opposition has hit a measly .171. Howard looked to stay hot on Thursday. Unfortunately for the Stompers, his consistency lacked.

Lifted by a sacrifice fly from Mac Galvin and a single from Ben Coke, San Francisco bounced back and tied things up. Even with Sonoma once in front, it was all the Seagulls from there. Josh Hanson blasted a two-run home run off of newly-acquired Cal Amborn on the mound.

The two-run lead wasn’t too decisive, but in the seventh, Coke doubled to add to San Francisco’s lead. Galvin and Derek Waldvogel were sent to the plate to extend it to four.

With little life left, the Stompers attempted to come back. Colton Boardman walked to score Esteban Sepulveda in the ninth. Keys plated Trevor Schlafer soon after to cut the lead in half. But it was far too little to jump ahead and end victorious.

“We’re gonna be where we need to be,” Pace said. “We need to flush it because baseball, if you’re gonna play in this game, you’re gonna grind yourself out, and we have to flush today’s loss.”

3 errors, late home run doom Stompers in 4-3 loss to Merchants

The Stompers and Merchants each tallied five hits and made three errors, but a seventh-inning home run powered Alameda to victory.

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

It was the seventh inning, and Jackson Nystrom stood at the plate with a 2-1 count. He’d taken two balls from Chris Albee before fouling off the next pitch.

In the third inning, Nystrom had singled to load the bases, extending Alameda’s rally that eventually tied the game at 3-3. In his other appearance against the Stompers this season — a 7-5 loss on June 12 — he went 0-for-3. This time, Nystrom punished Sonoma. 

The following pitch from Albee was annihilated for a solo home run — Nystrom’s first of the season — to give the Merchants their only lead of the day, one they never relinquished.

Nystrom’s go-ahead homer in the seventh proved decisive, as Sonoma (18-12, 15-10 CCL) couldn’t mount a comeback and saw its four-game win streak snapped in a 4-3 loss.

“We didn’t hold them down,” Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame. “I thought we could’ve played a little bit better defensively. We gave them some extra outs today. Then, they got that home run late to go ahead.”

Sonoma’s pitching has been the workhorse this season, with Devon Laguinto’s complete game shutout on Tuesday the latest example. On Wednesday, Shawn McBroom toed the rubber to open the game. He was a familiar face for the Stompers’ faithful but was recently added to their 2025 roster. Wednesday was his first appearance of the summer.

In 2024, McBroom went 3-0 in four outings. He didn’t surrender a run and served as a reliable reliever, often a set-up guy in the later innings. So, Wednesday’s start was uncharacteristic. And even with Sonoma in front, McBroom faltered on the mound, which led to its loss.

In usual fashion, the Stompers got ahead from the jump. The first inning saw Nic Sebastiani stay hot with a triple, and he scored right after when Paul Lizzul knocked a fielder’s choice to second baseman Kaleb Latimer.

In the following frame, Sonoma tacked on two more runs. McCann Libby grounded out, and Brady Shannon was retired on an unassisted groundout to Latimer. But after a bit of luck and mistakes from Alameda, Colton Boardman scorched a single to left field to drive in Cameron Hegamin and Trent Keys.

The Stompers’ 3-0 start would’ve served well for Laguinto. Harun Pelja, David Howard and Nick Santivanez probably could’ve kept Sonoma in front. But though it wasn’t entirely McBroom’s fault, his rustiness meshed with the Stompers’ destructive defense to lose the lead.

Throughout the contest, Sonoma made three errors. After a four-game stretch of three-plus errors in mid-June, the Stompers’ defense had settled in. Against the Merchants, their previous ways returned.

In the bottom of the second — with one out — Cy Turner tripled before scoring on a wild pitch. Latimer started the third-inning rally when he forced an error from Boardman. A pitch hit Jace Jeremiah, and after Nystrom’s single, Emmitt Phinney drove in Latimer and Jeremiah to tie the game.

Mistakes fueled the comeback. Pace said postgame that three errors were unacceptable. He’s also mentioned free passes, which pained the Stompers with wild pitches and hit-by-pitches.

“We gotta definitely cut down on the errors,” Pace said. “I thought our pitchers did a good job of working through and getting outs, but we don’t wanna give them extra (at-bats). That definitely helped (Alameda) out today.”

The middle innings stayed silent for both squads. The Merchants’ bullpen didn’t allow a hit after the fifth, while Micah Marquez, Chris Albee and Braden Guentz held the line for Sonoma. But Nystrom’s game-winner shattered the silence, a shot that deflated the Stompers and sealed the loss.

Laguinto’s complete game shutout powers Stompers to 2-0 victory over Legends

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Menlo Park didn’t score. It hardly even threatened. Most nights, the Stompers’ pitchers need run support. CCL games have been high-scoring affairs. On Tuesday, Devon Laguinto was in his own league.

He was ahead in counts. He painted the zone. He worked each inning like clockwork, and the Legends never settled in. Following a game on Sunday that was filled with many storylines, Tuesday’s matchup at College of San Mateo had just one: Laguinto’s outing.

In his complete game shutout Tuesday, Devon Laguinto surrendered just three hits and struck out 10 batters.

Fueled by a complete game shutout — Sonoma’s first of the season — the Stompers (18-11, 15-9 CCL) defeated Menlo Park 2-0. Runs were scarce on both sides, but Laguinto didn’t care. With him on the mound, there was no way Sonoma would lose.

“Just being aggressive out there. I had command in my fastball. I could trust all my stuff,” Laguinto said postgame. “The slider was slipping out a bit early, but I got that dialed in.”

CCL play started almost as poorly as possible for Laguinto. On June 4 — his first start in league play — Laguinto surrendered three runs on five hits. He walked just one batter, but the Blues hit .417 off of him. The result was a tight 4-3 defeat for the Stompers, which Laguinto earned the loss in.

Following the contest, he visibly expressed frustration. Sonoma’s offense was outhit. Its defense made more errors than San Luis Obispo. Its bullpen allowed SLO to score one more run — the eventual game-winner. But Laguinto still took the blame.

At the time, Laguinto was in the transfer portal. Stompers right fielder Brady Shannon called the portal “a very dark place.” A place “where you wanna get in and get out as quickly as you can.” Maybe Laguinto was feeling the effects of the uncertainty. Perhaps it was just an off day.

Either way, Laguinto’s squad lost, and he was supposed to give his team a chance to win. So his next start, he did. It was a five-inning performance from the right-handed pitcher. He allowed just two runs and struck out eight. Sonoma’s offense came alive, and the factors blended into a 7-5 victory.

Since then, it’s been an uphill climb for Laguinto. He’s shown potential, with a six-inning, two-run outing against the Blues on June 18. He’s also faltered, giving up five runs in three innings in a 10-1 loss to the Crawdads on June 25.

On Tuesday, Laguinto’s best version emerged. Before the game, he found a home. Laguinto announced his commitment to San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. With his name officially on a roster, Laguinto was calm.

“It definitely took a lot of weight off my shoulders,” Laguinto said. “I didn’t know where I was gonna go this fall semester, but everything’s now lifted off.”

In the first inning, Laguinto struck out one batter but hit James Bose. Bose was stranded at first, which ended up as one of the Legends’ best chances.

The next inning, Will Anderson led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then 90 feet more on a sacrifice. Anderson remained on third, though, with Emilio Feliciano striking out on four pitches before Ryan Cartwright was put away in three.

Through two innings, Laguinto had punched out three hitters, yet Sonoma’s offense stayed silent. In the third, the Legends were retired in order. Same with the fourth.

In the top half of that inning, the Stompers finally opened the scoring. Nic Sebastiani began the frame with a single and got to second on a stolen base. A McCann Libby base hit brought Sebastiani in, and Libby then crossed home when Trent Keys singled.

A two-run inning was good. On a regular night, it may have kept Sonoma ahead for an inning or two. On Tuesday, it was enough for the game.

The fifth saw Feliciano threaten when he was hit by a pitch. He tested Luke Duncan’s arm, though, and was caught stealing second base. In the sixth, Bose was also beaned. He went nowhere.

The seventh and eighth innings contained more Laguinto dominance. He earned strikeout No. 6 to close the former — sitting Gavin Shaddix on three pitches — and cruised through the latter with two more Ks. 

Laguinto closed the eighth with 85 pitches. Sonoma’s lead wasn’t much, but it would only be right for Laguinto to finish what he started.

“I knew he wanted the ball. I was gonna try and talk him out of it, and he wouldn’t let me,” Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame. “It’s tough to take him out in that situation. It’s his ballgame.”

Bose opened the ninth with a single. Pace considered replacing Laguinto with a new arm, he said. But he kept the workhorse in. After Mitchell Birdsall’s at-bat started with a 2-0 count, Laguinto set him away on four more pitches. Dane Most went down on a fielder’s choice. And Laguinto capped the masterful performance with a four-pitch punchout of Anderson.

“He just got into that rhythm and started filling up that zone,” Pace said. “Really overpowering with his strike throwing… and he did a really good job.”

‘GREEK GOD’: Back in Youngstown, Brady Shannon is living his two-sport dream

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

After receiving next-level opportunities to play baseball and football individually, Brady Shannon decided to return home to play both at Youngstown State, where he's a right fielder and quarterback for the Penguins. Courtesy of Brady Shannon

Some athletes balance packed schedules. Brady Shannon lives in overdrive. Little sleep, nonstop communication and two Division I sports are the root of it all.

After growing up 65 miles southeast of Cleveland in Youngstown, Ohio, Shannon’s returned home as a dual-sport athlete at Youngstown State. Once playing Friday nights at Stambaugh Stadium while at Ursuline High School, Shannon now stands in the pocket there on Saturday afternoons. When he’s not on the gridiron, he’s likely at Eastwood Field, fueling the Penguins’ lineup with power or making plays in right field.

“I was definitely very fortunate to have a school like Youngstown State,” Shannon said. “For them to give me opportunities and care for me on the athletic side and also on the academic side. I always think I got lucky.”

A deep baseball bloodline runs through Shannon’s family. His grandfather, Andy Kosco, played Major League Baseball for seven teams over 10 years. Shannon’s uncles, Bryn and Dru, followed in their father’s path, both drafted in the 1980s.

Shannon worked hard to seize a similar opportunity. During his junior year at Ursuline, his efforts began to pay off.

He traveled to Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati for a showcase with the Reds. Shannon went through infield drills, took batting practice and threw bullpens. His performance was so impressive it sparked conversations about the upcoming MLB Draft.

There was only one problem. He’d need to give up football, a love of his since attending Penguins games at a young age. Shannon couldn’t pull the trigger.

“Brady said, ‘If I don’t give football a try, I’ll have a regret, and I don’t wanna have regrets. I know I can still (play football), and I know that’s what I want to do,’” Shannon’s father, Dan, said.

Brady Shannon pitches during a game at Ursuline High School. While he's now a right fielder for Youngstown State and the Stompers, Shannon played third base and took the mound during his high school days. Courtesy of Brady Shannon

Outside of his Youngstown home as a kid, Shannon and his brother Nolan took ground balls, pop-ups and practiced pitching under the streetlights. Even at age 10, Shannon refused to come inside after hours of work.

When Nolan worked at Sports World, Shannon used the batting cages to get in extra swings. His power increased, and by age 15, he’d crushed 460-foot home runs for his travel team — Release Baseball — which garnered interest from Cincinnati and Bowling Green.

During the spring, Shannon’s favorite sport was baseball. The second the leaves turned, he liked football more. Upon entering Ursuline, he possessed the skills to play basketball, too.

Two weeks before Shannon’s first football season, the Irish’s starting quarterback broke his leg. Shannon was about 6-foot, 180 pounds and a junior still sat ahead of him on the depth chart. That teammate played one series, and Shannon never lost the job after that, Dan said.

He wasn’t handed success, though. Ursuline went 1-10 in Shannon’s first year under center. Three years later, he led the Irish to their first state title game since 2010. Shannon broke passing records held by former NFL quarterback Daryll Clark, which earned him offers from Massachusetts, YSU, Akron and Kent State.

“Larry Bird could see the court. Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby can see the ice. Brady can see the field. He can look at his five receivers in 2.5 seconds,” Dan said.

“Larry Bird could see the court. Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby can see the ice. Brady can see the field. He can look at his five receivers in 2.5 seconds.””

— Dan Shannon, Brady Shannon's Father

On the court, Shannon averaged 17 points per game but felt basketball “wasn’t in the cards he was dealt.” Come spring, Shannon had little time for more than training but still dreamed of college baseball.

His high school career kicked off with a home run in just his second at-bat. In Shannon’s sophomore year, his recruitment expanded, with the Yankees and Rockies coming to Youngstown to watch him play.

Just months before his senior year, Shannon announced his commitment to play D-I baseball at the University of Central Florida. But during his first year with the Knights, something was missing.

On Saturday mornings, Shannon would turn on the television and think he could make the same throws as those college quarterbacks. He’d speak with John Rhys Plumlee — a center fielder and QB at UCF — about the two-sport life. Shannon envisioned that for himself, but he wondered if he’d be able to achieve all he wanted to at UCF. The answer was no.

When longtime head coach Greg Lovelady left the Knights, Shannon saw the opening he needed to rethink his future.

“College sports is really turning into a business, and when someone’s investing their time and money into you, and that person leaves, there’s not much of an investment there anymore,” Shannon said.

Though his stint at UCF was brief, Shannon still played in 25 games. In his first two, he hit home runs — one, a walk-off — and became one of 11 Knights with multiple homers in the season.

Brady Shannon poses with John Rhys Plumlee at a 2023 UCF game. Plumlee — now a Seattle Seahawks wide receiver — served as a blueprint for Shannon’s decision to pursue both football and baseball. Courtesy of Brady Shannon

The stats were there. Now, Shannon just needed to make it known he was serious about two sports. He received numerous offers for baseball or football, but few were for both.

That was until Youngstown State reached out to him. Shannon practically lived on YSU’s campus growing up. He learned of Jim Tressel’s legacy, idolizing his four National Championships, with hopes to bring a fifth.

To Youngstown State, Shannon was “the hometown kid.” His first phone call with YSU baseball head coach Trevor Charpie was straightforward. Charpie expressed his interest, Shannon asked where to sign and the rest of the call was about throwing touchdown passes.

When Shannon entered Charpie’s office in person, the excitement escalated. Charpie saw Shannon as a “cool guy,” but most importantly, someone with a “crazy athletic ability.”

“He’s a freak. He looked like a Greek god,” Charpie said of their first interaction. “This guy is what you dream an athlete’s body would be. You could just tell right away he was gonna be a hell of a baseball player.”

Shannon’s arrival was during his sophomore spring, but it was too late to join the baseball team. He’d flipped to football and participated in spring practices and workouts. The whole time, though, Charpie had his eye on Shannon. They talked about Shannon’s health, but Charpie let him “do his thing.”

Football season crept up, and Shannon didn’t play much baseball but attended practices on Mondays — his football off-day. His appearances weren’t often, but Charpie said Shannon had a “natural aura” about him.

Sept. 7, 2024, against Valparaiso proved he’d chosen the right path. Before the game, the football team walked through the same parking lot where Shannon grew up tailgating. Hundreds of fans were already there to welcome the Penguins. Shannon spotted his entire family, but what made him most grateful was seeing nearly “100” other familiar faces.

Shannon said it “was the best” and comforted him in a hectic time. YSU ended the season 4-8, and he played in just three games, but he was halfway to his dual-sport dreams. The baseball team took advantage of Shannon’s time playing football, taking recruits to the games and pointing out that Shannon was their right fielder. Now came baseball time.

Unlike baseball’s workload in the fall, football is pretty much a year-round sport. Meanwhile, Shannon was trying to get back into baseball after a year off. His first at-bats came during the Fall World Series, so it was difficult for Charpie and his staff to analyze his talent.

Still, the grind quickly began. Shannon grew accustomed to returning to school after a baseball road trip at 2 a.m. while having a football workout at 6. His daily routine consisted of waking up around 5:30 a.m. and heading to the football facility for 7 a.m. meetings. Football practice was from 8-11 a.m., followed by class from 12-1:45 p.m. Then, Shannon would go straight to Eastwood for 6 p.m. games, and bedtime was around 10 p.m.

“It was everything I imagined it to be and more. It was a lot, but it was something where you can’t complain about it because you’re doing two things you always wanted to do.””

— Brady Shannon, Youngstown State Quarterback and Outfielder

“It was everything I imagined it to be and more,” Shannon said. “It was a lot, but it was something where you can’t complain about it because you’re doing two things you always wanted to do.”

Shannon also had to juggle the NCAA’s weekly hour limitations, which note athletes can only participate in 20 hours of team activity per week, regardless of how many sports they play. Charpie worked with YSU football head coach Doug Phillips to discuss when Shannon would work with the team and independently.

But through it all, Shannon stayed composed. When Charpie called his name, Shannon was ready. He hit 10 home runs, the third most on the team, while having the eighth most at-bats.

On May 10, everything clicked. In the ninth inning with YSU down one, Shannon smoked a walk-off two-run home run over the right field fence to give it a 13-12 win over Oakland. The following day — Mother’s Day — Shannon blasted a solo shot to left field with his mom, Kerry, in the stands. He received the ball postgame and immediately gave it to her.

“He’s just cool as a cucumber. Ninth inning, down one, whatever the case may be, if Brady Shannon’s up, we’re good,” Charpie said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to coach a guy like Brady Shannon. I think he’s 1-of-1. I don’t think I’ll ever have another athlete like him.”

Watching Shannon play on the same field where he grew up, Dan calls his son’s path “wild” and “surreal.” But Shannon’s far from finished. After spending last summer with YSU football, he’s now giving baseball his full attention, showing the Stompers exactly what Youngstown State sees every day.

“Did I expect him to be this good? You always expect your sons to reach for the stars, and I think he hasn’t reached his ceiling in either sport,” Dan said. “He never ceases to amaze me.”

Complete effort propels Stompers past Legends 13-6

The Stompers received 22 free passes in Sunday’s matchup with the Legends, which played a key role in their 13-6 win.

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Sunday’s game against the Legends featured no shortage of storylines. Anthony Scheppler tallied a hit for the first time in 17 at-bats, Nic Sebastiani notched his first multi-home run game of the year, Harun Pelja pitched five one-hit innings and the Stompers received 22 free passes.

Sonoma manager Zack Pace has said it all. He knows Scheppler has struggled but commends him for his hard work pregame and away from Arnold Field. Pace thinks Scheppler — who’s currently in the transfer portal — has the potential to help several Division I programs.

Pace has emphasized the revival of Sebastiani’s play at the plate after a strong end to last season. Sebastiani was one of the younger players on last year’s squad, but he’s emerged as a leader this time around. After a rough start to the summer, Sebastiani’s found his groove, raising his batting average to a season-high .275 while carrying an .891 OPS.

The Stompers’ pitching staff has been one of their greatest assets, and Pelja added to the success on Sunday. He’s now surrendered an earned run in just one start this season — Sonoma’s 6-5 win over Menlo Park on June 13 — and he has a sub-one ERA.

To wrap up the storylines, Pace hasn’t been shy about his team’s pitch selection and ability to have quality at-bats. As the most hit team in the CCL this year, Pace said, the Stompers continue to earn free base runners. Against the Legends, they walked 14 times, alongside eight hit-by-pitches.

When these pieces mix, good things are expected to happen. On Sunday, they did. Sonoma (17-11, 14-9 CCL) played a complete baseball game to defeat the Legends 13-6. The win marks the Stompers’ sixth in seven matchups between the two teams so far.

“(We’ve) just been doing our quality Stompers baseball,” Pace said postgame. “Filling up the zone on the mound and playing good defense and taking our quality at-bats. It’s about putting those three together.”

Just doing those three would be an understatement to describe Sonoma’s win over Menlo Park. Everything they’ve been doing consistently was displayed Sunday; nothing was left out.

The Stompers were the first team to score. It’s become a constant trend, and Sonoma held its own on offense all game. After a 1-2-3 first inning, Scheppler finally reached base via a hit, as previously mentioned, with an RBI double to score Sebastiani. Scheppler would score soon after when Ben Sebastiani walked, and a pitch with the bases loaded hit Colton Boardman.

The floodgates opened from there. With two outs in the third inning and the bases loaded, Esteban Sepulveda cleared the bases with a single ripped into center field. Then, the Stompers showed off their “special,” with Sepulveda coming home on a passed ball.

Holding a six-run lead looked safe, but Nathan Bunyard struggled the night before, and Sonoma had a chance to lose it. This time around, Pelja continued to shove. In the fourth, he retired Menlo Park in order. In the fifth, he did it again.

“I feel like every outing, we’re about to fight to get (Pelja) out of the game because he wants to stay in,” Pace said jokingly. “He does a really good job of getting a lot of outs and having quality outings every time he’s out there.”

As Pelja dealt, the Stompers added more runs. Sebastiani struck his first home run in the fourth, and Brady Shannon scored Tyler Schlafer on a sacrifice fly the following inning.

Then came Sonoma’s bullpen effort. Sean DeBoard, Justin Jones and Nikolas Haas struggled in their innings, each allowing two runs, but Jaden Mason and Christian Klostermann stepped in and shut the Legends down. 

It was the Stompers all the way. They scored one more when Cameron Hegamin plated Heeryun Han on a sac fly in the seventh. As a bit of insurance, Sonoma scored four more runs in the eighth, with a Shannon single and Sebastiani’s second home run — a three-run shot — to give the Stompers their 11th, 12th and 13th runs.

Menlo Park applied pressure in the eighth and ninth with four of its six runs coming then. But Sonoma’s lead was too large to overcome.

“Our approach has been pretty good the last couple days. I feel like we’ve definitely been improving,” Pace said. “It was definitely nice to see our guys come through.”

The Stompers will receive their regular Monday off-day before taking on the Legends again on Monday at 5 p.m.