By Elakai Anela, Beat Writer
Stompers catcher Andrew Bonfigli went 3 for 4 in Saturday’s contest with two RBIs. He also made several crucial defensive plays behind the dish, including catching two Honors runners attempting to steal second base.
The Sonoma Stompers defeated the Bercovich Honors 14-3 Saturday night at Arnold Field in Sonoma, Calif. The Stompers jumped out to a 5-0 lead through two innings and never looked back in their third win of the season.
Sonoma struck first in the first inning on an error by Bercovich infielder Santino Nunez. The Stompers added onto their lead with a four-run second inning, capped by a two-run home run by designated hitter Hunter Carlson over the right field wall.
Bercovich responded with three runs in the top of the third inning to cut Sonoma’s lead down to 5-3. With the bases loaded and two outs, right-handed pitcher Scotty Kato entered the game in relief of right-handed pitcher Patrick Richardson. Kate recorded a three-pitch strikeout to end the top half of the frame.
Richardson struggled, lasting only 0.2 innings pitched and allowing three earned runs in his first outing of the year.
However, the Stompers put up one run in the bottom of the inning before scoring three in the fourth to blow the game open. Catcher Andrew Bonfigli and Carlson both hit RBI doubles in the fourth.
Carlson had been due for a big offensive game, and Saturday night he delivered, going 1 for 2 with two RBIs.
Bonfigli was also all over the field Saturday.
In the opening frame, the 6-foot-1 backstop made a couple of stops to prevent further runners from advancing and threw out a runner attempting to steal second base on a double steal to end the opening frame.
His high level of play stayed the same as the game progressed.
Stompers manager Zack Pace called Bonfigli’s 3 for 4 day at the plate and performance in the field “impressive” postgame.
“He had some great defensive plays tonight,” Pace said. “I was just impressed by his first at-bat particularly... he kind of set the ball rolling offensively.”
In the sixth inning, the long ball struck again for the Stompers. Infielder Bryson Alaya hit a two-run home run that cleared the left field wall to give Sonoma an 11-3 lead.
Then, catcher Angel Garcia delivered a two-run double to wrap up a four-run inning. Sonoma added its 14th run of the affair the next inning.
Ultimately, the offensive outburst carried the Stompers to victory.
“They [the offense] did quite a good job; they had a lot of quality at-bats,” Pace said. “The guys just grinded and got a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it and took what the game gave us.”
Strong defense and shutdown pitching outside of the third inning helped preserve the Sonoma’s lead.
Infielder Caze Derammelaere made two plays that helped seal the lead for Sonoma.
The first came on a barehanded play, where he charged a slow roller and threw across the diamond, where infielder Anthony Scheppler scooped it at first base, in time to retire the runner
The second came on a line-drive double play that ended the inning and helped Sonoma escape a jam with runners on second and third.
Pace called Derammelaere’s play “one of the better barehand” efforts he had seen in his nine-year tenure as the Stompers’ manager.
After allowing three runs in the third inning, Sonoma's pitching staff held the Honors scoreless over the final six innings to secure the blowout victory.
After two days off, Sonoma will continue its five-game homestand Tuesday night against the San Luis Obispo Blues to begin North Division California Collegiate League play. First pitch will be at 6:05 p.m. and the game will be streamed on YouTube.