By Elakai Anela, Beat Writer
Right-handed pitcher Ayden Tinsley (Modesto College) throws the ball July 15 at San Bruno Park in San Bruno, Calif. Tinsley pitched a scoreless inning Saturday during Sonoma’s 9-4 defeat against the Walnut Creek Crawdads., Photo Courtesy of Karsen Kadien / Sonoma Stompers
SONOMA, Calif. — The Sonoma Stompers pitching allowed seven earned runs and 11 free passes Saturday in a 9-4 defeat to the Walnut Creek Crawdads. Sonoma also committed five errors.
Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame his team “handed” the contest to the Crawdads.
“We beat ourselves,” Pace said. “Lots of free passes. Easier said than done not to give up the free passes. I don’t really know the right recipe right now.”
Pace also said it was “frustrating” to see his team play sloppy in the field.
“It’s not very good,” Pace said. “You can’t win playoff games when you commit five errors. It’s a little rough. They won all three phases of the game.”
Stompers starting pitcher right-hander Sam Matherly (Bellarmine University) struggled with his command in the opening frame, walking three and throwing a hit-by-pitch. A catcher’s interference prolonged the inning as well, ultimately allowing three Crawdad runs to score.
Matherly departed after loading the bases in the second with two outs, giving way to right-handed pitcher Kyle Seo (Chaminade University – Honolulu). Seo walked the first batter he faced, making it 4-0 Walnut Creek before inducing an inning-ending groundout.
The Crawdads scored two more runs in the third, aided by a fielding and throwing error from Tino Vasell that put runners on second and third. Two singles — the second that deflected off the second base bag and went into center field — scored both runners.
In the opening three innings, Sonoma’s pitching allowed 10 free passes — eight walks and two hit-by-pitches but struck out five. The Stompers had a 52% strike rate over 23 batters faced.
During the fourth, the Crawdads extended their lead by two to make it 8-0. Outfielder Shane Aldridge (Menlo College) hit an RBI double and infielder Lucas Carlisle (Santa Barbara City College) produced an RBI single.
The Stompers loaded the bases in the fifth and sixth innings but only scored one run on a hit-by-pitch. Infielder Ben Sebastiani (College of Marin) struck out to end the fifth. Outfielder Connor Johnston (Bellarmine University) grounded out.
Pace said his batters must do a “better job” of winning those two at-bats with the bases loaded.
“I know it’s not easy,” Pace said. “But you gotta keep fighting. That’s baseball, though.”
The Stompers scored two runs in the seventh, but Walnut Creek countered with another run in the eighth, going ahead 9-3. Sonoma got one run back in the bottom of the frame. Both teams went scoreless in the ninth.
The Stompers finish the regular season Sunday against the Alameda Merchants at home. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and the game will be streamed on YouTube.