By Jordan Kimball
Offense was the difference in the Stomps’ last game — a 15-14 win over the Alameda Anchors that closed non-league play Sunday. Pitching dominated the Anchors a day prior in a 4-2 victory.
Both played a key role Tuesday in Sonoma’s (4-2, 1-0 CCL) 7-1 CCL-opener win against the San Luis Obispo Blues. The Stomps tallied six hits and reached base 13 times, providing too much firepower at the plate for the Blues’ pitching staff to handle. Meanwhile, their staff struck out 16 batters and allowed just five hits.
“We’ve been playing better since our first couple games. Guys are jelling a lot more together,” Stomps manager Zack Pace said postgame. “I like our morale. I like our team’s confidence building. It’s a good victory for us.”
As league play got underway at Arnold Field, Jayden Harper immediately silenced any premature hope for SLO. The Cal State Fullerton senior let up a quick double to Blues centerfielder Ethan Royal but struck out the next two hitters. He finished things off by forcing a Donovan Jordan flyout, giving the Stomps their first chance at the plate.
They quickly took the lead. After Landon Akers lined out on the first pitch he saw, Heeryun Han walked. He took off for second base before Nic Sebastiani drove him in via a full-count double roped down the right-field line. The Stomps doubled their damage when Sebastiani scored on a wild pitch.
After Harper recorded two more punchouts in the second inning, Sonoma started right where it left off offensively. Charlie Malton and Anthony Scheppler reached base on two straight errors by SLO first baseman Brendan Comerford. Trent Keys then walked to load the bases before Luke Duncan was hit to bring home a run. Then came the leadoff man, Akers, who made the Blues pay. After a wild pitch advanced each runner 90 feet, which scored Scheppler, Akers singled to drive in Keys and Duncan.
SLO went to its bullpen, but the result barely changed. Han was hit, and a passed ball moved him and Akers up to second and third. McCann Libby followed with a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Akers, putting the finishing touch on the five-run inning.
“(Our offense) is a little scrappy. (We’re) trying to find a way on,” Pace said. “We had a very good approach in those first couple innings and scored a lot of runs.”
Even down big, the Blues struggled to battle. They were held with just three base runners in the first three innings, and each time, nothing materialized.
However, that trend didn’t continue in the fourth. Ryan Seo replaced Harper on the mound, and he quickly struggled. The first three batters he faced reached base, resulting in Jordan scoring on a Comerford single.
From there, though, Seo settled in. He retired the Blues’ next three hitters, including a strikeout on Kosei Suzuki — a .344 hitter from Frank Phillips College.
Seo showcased even more dominance in the sixth and seventh innings, accumulating six more strikeouts against the final seven batters he faced. The result? A three-inning outing for Seo with seven strikeouts, also pitching his most innings since joining Cal State Fullerton before the 2025 season.
“Lots of sliders. Slider was good. Fastball was good. Just trying to fill up the zone, and good things will happen,” Seo said of his approach and what worked.
While Seo dominated the Blues, the Stomps struggled offensively, tallying three singles from the fourth to the seventh inning. And when Kyle Seo, Ryan’s brother, took his spot on the mound, Sonoma continued to stay silent, with its lone hit over the last two innings a Scheppler single to left field.
But Kyle held firm. He matched his brother, pitching three innings while striking out four. He also didn’t allow a base runner, capping off a solid all-around win for the Stomps to open CCL play.
“I’ve obviously played a lot of baseball with (Kyle),” Seo said. “It’s fun to get out here with my brother. It’s super meaningful and a great opportunity.”
Sonoma takes on the Blues once again on Wednesday for its second CCL game. First pitch will be at 6:05 p.m. at Arnold Field.