By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer
Colton Boardman and Max Handron have anchored the left side of the infield, combining for just nine errors over 265 innings. Their defense will be crucial as Sonoma pushes for a playoff run.
With most players departing the Stompers following last year’s 30-win campaign, manager Zack Pace and his staff were faced with starting fresh, a challenge considering 2024 was Pace’s best season in his six years at the helm.
Nic Sebastiani was a name that signaled consistency. The left fielder spent most of last summer batting eighth or ninth in the lineup. Yet he was one of the youngest players on the squad, showcasing a youthful energy and mature bat; Sebastiani hit .345 with two home runs in 16 games.
A slow start for Sebastiani nearly plagued Sonoma. The Wine Country native hit sub-.200 through seven games. However, Bellarmine’s Landon Akers stepped up and hit almost .300 in that span. Now, nearly two months after the Stompers’ first game, both players are hurt, and Pace was searching for help.
Luckily, he’s found the answers. Cam Hegamin has held it down in center field. Brady Shannon is displaying Division I power by leading the CCL in home runs and RBIs. Max Handron and Colton Boardman are playing lockdown defense on the left side of the infield. The result? Sonoma leads the CCL North with just eight games to play.
Here’s everything to know from the first half of the Stompers’ (25-15, 20-13 CCL) 2025 summer:
Winning the week
Since Sonoma began CCL play on June 3, Pace has keyed in on “winning the week.” He reminds his team to stay focused on the present, taking each game one at a time. The Stompers have embodied Pace’s message. With just two weeks to go, Sonoma’s won every week of league play. It’s boosted them to a 20-13 record.
“In the end, you’ll be right where you wanna be,” Pace said of the importance of winning each week. “I feel like we’ve had a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but we’re winning weeks and that’s the goal.”
The season didn’t begin as smoothly as the record suggests. The Stompers defeated the Blues 7-1 on June 3 to open CCL play. They then lost three straight contests, two of which were one-run games, in which Sonoma displayed persistence.
Since the early stretch, the Stompers have breezed through their schedule. A significant reason why is the Legends. Menlo Park’s been a difficult place for Sonoma to play in the past, Pace said, but this season was different. Following the conclusion of their season series on Saturday, the Stompers officially took eight of the nine games between the two squads.
The other CCL teams haven’t given Sonoma many problems either. With two games remaining, the Stompers own the season series versus the last-place Seagulls. They split the four-game stretch with San Luis Obispo, defeated the Merchants and are currently two games behind in a series with the Crawdads, yet three games remain.
1-2 punch
Since Handron joined Sonoma on June 13, there’s been a piece of offense no other player can replicate. Handron is different, Pace says. He remains calm and serves as a leader to the younger players. The UC Berkeley infielder has also filled a void at third base, which Anthony Scheppler previously held. Scheppler struggled at the plate, but Handron provided relief.
He’s currently hitting .426 with a 1.145 OPS. One of Handron’s most dominant showings was Saturday against the Legends, where his five hits paced the game and willed Sonoma to a 17-13 win.
Batting right before Handron is Boardman. A freshman from Cal State Northridge, Boardman’s experience isn’t nearly as advanced as Handron’s, but the shortstop is hitting .282 and was selected to represent Sonoma in the 2025 CCL Showcase Game.
“Getting out to that early start is huge. Those two jumpstart it,” Pace said. “They do an outstanding job with their quality at-bats each time. They’re two great ballplayers.”
While Handron and Boardman’s contributions on offense are apparent, their work anchoring the left side of the infield often goes unnoticed. Handron’s made one error in 47 innings at the hot corner. Boardman has committed just eight while playing 218 of Sonoma’s 236 innings at shortstop.
Key departures
When Alijah Ramos and Trent Abel left the Stompers after last season, Pace was left with finding replacements for the two all-star middle infielders. He thrived with Boardman. And his selection at second base ended nicely, also. Hailing from Frisco, Texas, McCann Libby played 198 innings at the keystone and held down the three or four-hole in Sonoma’s lineup.
Hitting .229, Libby sometimes struggled to find consistency at the plate but showed flashes of potential in key moments. Coaches often say availability is the best ability, and the incoming Louisiana Tech infielder led Stompers hitters in at-bats (118). He will leave the squad to begin his first D-I season, but he ended his time in Sonoma with a bang, recording a season-high three hits versus the Merchants on Sunday.
On the mound, the Stompers will deal with the departure of Nick Santivanez. The CSUN starter placed third in innings pitched (24.0) and sported a 2.63 ERA. Each time he pitched, Sonoma won. Santivanez surrendered just seven runs, recording a team-high 34 strikeouts while allowing 14 hits. He wraps up his stint with the squad at 4-0, leading the team in starts.
Playoff picture
With just eight games to play, the Stompers are in an ideal position to make the CCL playoffs as one of the North’s three teams. They’re atop the group for now, but only 1.5 games separate them from missing the postseason.
Currently, Alameda sits one game below Sonoma. The Merchants have battled the Stompers well all season, with five of their seven games decided by two or fewer runs. Sonoma ultimately ended the series on a high note, though, steamrolling Alameda 17-1 on Sunday.
Tied with the Merchants are the Crawdads, who’ve given the Stompers their most troubles this season. Walnut Creek eliminated Sonoma in the playoffs last year and has taken four of six games between the squads this time around. On July 9 and 11, the Stompers fell to it twice after giving up crooked numbers in the first inning of both games. The teams will play three more times, but if Sonoma wants to see the playoffs, it needs to silence the Crawdads early.
Hovering right outside the picture is the Blues. Due to their far distance from Arnold Field, the Stompers and SLO only battled four times. The series was split, and Sonoma won’t play San Luis Obispo again this season. The Blues will face the Merchants for a three-game set before playing numerous teams in the South, a stretch that will largely impact the Stompers’ playoff spot.
“Us four are battling it out at the top,” Pace said. “I feel they’re all really good teams. It’s good to have that competition, and hopefully we’re at the top. I feel pretty confident about our guys and where we’re at.”