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.”