By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer
After falling to the Crawdads in the 2024 CCL North title game and dropping the season series this year, the Stompers are out for revenge in Wednesday’s rematch at Arnold Field.
The 2024 season was filled with celebrations for the Stompers. Manager Zack Pace earned 30 wins for the first time in his six years at the helm. Sonoma sent six players to the CCL Showcase Game in mid-July. The Stompers won their first CCL playoff game against the San Luis Obispo Blues. Yet everything came crashing down the next day in the CCL North title game. Their opponent: the Walnut Creek Crawdads.
After burning their arms the day prior at Sinsheimer Stadium, the lights were too bright for Sonoma’s back half of its bullpen. Walnut Creek scored all five of its runs in the fifth inning or later, while the Stompers' bats didn’t come alive until the ninth, far too late to build any positive momentum.
Pace sulked after the win but remained proud of his group. However, after a whole year to analyze what went wrong and play more baseball, Sonoma’s back for revenge, this time on home turf at Arnold Field.
“That’s the goal at the start of the year, to be the CCL North champions,” Pace said. “Need to get into that playoff dance. We’re in, we have a good spot. We win (on Wednesday), we go to the final show. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Here’s everything to know about the Walnut Creek Crawdads ahead of their CCL North title game matchup Wednesday with the Stompers (31-17, 25-15 CCL):
Season series
Crawdads won 5-4.
Last time they played…
Heading into the final week of the regular season, Sonoma faced its last true test: a three-game series against the Crawdads. The Stompers entered each week with determination, but Walnut Creek has consistently been a roadblock. This time, the stakes were higher than ever.
Both teams were heavily in contention for first place in the CCL North, and the Crawdads were up two games in the season series. But after being defeated 9-1 the night prior, Sonoma stormed southeast to Monte Vista High School and took them down 7-3 on July 20.
Fueled by a six-run first inning, the Stompers never looked back with Justin Jones on the mound. The Los Medanos right-handed pitcher lasted a season-long four innings while allowing just one run on three hits. David Howard entered in relief and cruised through the last five frames while surrendering two runs.
On the offensive side, Sonoma punted Crawdads’ starter Dylan McShane out of the game after he recorded just one out. It took its foot off the gas after the first inning, scoring just one more run in the ninth, but Max Handron and Cam Hegamin ended with multiple hits, nevertheless.
Number to know: 241
At the halfway point of the season, the Stompers’ defense fell into a rut. They were committing three-plus errors nearly every evening, yet were still finding ways to win games. It may have been because they were facing bottom-feeder teams such as the Merchants, Seagulls and Legends. However, Walnut Creek would’ve punished them.
Over the season, the Crawdads have struck out just 241 times, the fewest among teams still in the CCL playoffs and the fifth fewest in the league overall. Meanwhile, Sonoma’s 371 pitching strikeouts rank second in the league, setting the stage for a clash of play style at Arnold Field. If Walnut Creek sticks to its usual approach, the Stompers’ defense will face a barrage of balls in play and with that, a heightened risk of errors.
Sonoma’s player to watch: Quinn Medin
While there may be no one in the CCL playing as well as Handron, the Crawdads have seen him dozens of times. Quinn Medin, on the other hand, brings an element of surprise. An addition to Sonoma’s roster on July 19, Medin’s quickly drawn attention from the leadoff spot. Pace has placed Landon Akers, Colton Boardman and Hegamin, among others, in the position, yet no one’s performed to Medin’s level.
Through five games, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs outfielder is hitting .471. His on-base percentage sits at .609 while his slugging percentage (.529) brings his OPS well above 1.000 (1.138).
Though the sample size is limited, Medin’s ability to get on base has been his greatest asset. Across a three-game stretch from July 25-27, the newly appointed starting right fielder reached on 15 straight plate appearances. In Sonoma’s 18-2 win over the Philippines National Team on July 26, Medin also recorded five hits in six at-bats.
Walnut Creek’s player to watch: Joey Donnelly
Similar to the Crawdads’ situation with Handron, the Stompers know most of Walnut Creek’s key pieces all too well. But it’s impossible not to mention Joey Donnelly when looking at its star-studded roster.
In 2022, Donnelly first joined the Crawdads’ roster, where he struggled with a .210 batting average. After posting a .305 average the following year, Donnelly joined the Arroyo Seco Saints of the CCL South, notching a .327 average down in Pasadena.
Back with Walnut Creek in 2025, Donnelly’s started right where he left off. The UC Berkeley utility man ranks second on the Crawdads’ roster with a .341 batting average. He’s appeared in the second-most games for Walnut Creek and is the last remaining member of the team’s top five hitters.
Against Sonoma this season, Donnelly’s tallied 16 hits in eight games. His most significant performance was a six-RBI day in the Crawdads’ 10-1 victory on June 25. If the Stompers want to reach their first-ever CCL Championship, they’ll need to shut down Donnelly.