By Luke Firoozye
The Sonoma Stompers are on a roll. Winners of nine straight, the Stompers have all but assured themselves a spot in the California Collegiate League playoffs.
Several factors have fueled the streak.
A lethargic offense has flipped a switch, scoring 14 runs three times last week. Through their first 23 games, the team averaged 5.5 runs per game. During the winning streak, the Stompers are averaging 11 runs per game.
Infielders Anthony Scheppler (San Jose State) and Tino Vasell (University of San Francisco) earned CCL Hitter of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks.
Scheppler hit .500 with nine RBI, a double, and two home runs the week of July 5. All nine RBI and both home runs came in the same game against the Santa Maria Indians on July 3. The runs driven in was a franchise record for most in a single game.
Vasell went 11-for-19 (.579) at the plate in five games last week with three extra base hits.
The Stompers have also taken advantage of a relatively easy stretch of their schedule. The four teams they’ve faced in those nine games, the Alameda Merchants, San Francisco Seagulls, Santa Maria Indians, and Philippines Baseball Group, have a combined 16-65 record.
Finally, the pitching has been outstanding during stretch, especially the bullpen.
Devon Laguinto, who struggled to begin the season, has struck out 10 hitters in 5⅓ innings across three appearances since the streak began. Riley Dickey has continued a strong year with four scoreless outings. Gage McCown and Scotty Kato have two scoreless appearances apiece.
Sonoma has a set of real tests this week, playing three times against the Walnut Creek Crawdads, who have clawed their way into first place in the CCL North as the San Luis Obispo Blues have faltered, losing three straight. The Stompers remain behind the Crawdads entering Wednesday, but have a great chance to make up ground.
Sonoma needs to stave off the Alameda Merchants, who they play three times in the next week. If they can do that and positioning in the standings do not change, the Stompers would play the second seeded team, which as of now is the San Luis Obispo Blues. Sonoma would travel to San Luis Obispo and then the winner of that game would go to the first place team, currently Walnut Creek.
Sonoma needs to go at worst 4-6 in their remaining ten games and Alameda needs to win all of their remaining games to stay in third place.
In a very unlikely scenario, Sonoma could get into second place and host a playoff game if San Luis Obispo finishes 3-6 and Sonoma wins nine of their final ten games.
Finally, in an extremely unlikely scenario, Walnut Creek losing five out of their last nine games and the Stompers winning out would result in the Stompers winning the division.
Games behind can be misleading in the CCL because teams do not all play the same number of games, unlike in the major leagues. Walnut Creek will play 38 games, while the Stompers play 43, the Blues play 46, and the Merchants just 30.