By Elakai Anela, Beat Writer
Infielder Bryson Ayala (Tulane University) gets ready in the batters box before the pitch is thrown Saturday. Ayala went 0-for-2 with a walk in the Stompers’ 3-2 defeat against the Menlo Park Legends. Photo Courtesy of Karsen Kadien
Sonoma, Calif. — The Sonoma Stompers went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, left 18 runners on and didn’t record a two out hit in their 3-2 defeat Saturday against the Menlo Park Legends at Arnold Field.
Sonoma fell to 7-8 in the California Collegiate League while Menlo Park snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 3-9 in the CCL.
Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame that he “liked what he saw pregame” in batting practice when it came to approach hitting but needs to see his guys “drive them in” with runners on base.
“Bottom line is that we got to get it done in the game,” Pace said. “I know it’s a different story when a guy is throwing 90 or whatever. Or 80 like tonight. But we have to find a way to do something different.”
Despite falling short, Sonoma opened the scoring in the second inning. Catcher Gage McCown (Cal State Northridge) doubled and scored two batters later after a single by outfielder Nic Sebastiani.
Sebastiani’s single continued his uptick in play. After started the year batting 5 for 36 (.138) through the first 11 CCL contests. In the last two games, the Sonoma native has gone 3 for his last 8 at the plate with two RBIs. Sebastiani has raised his batting average to .192 in 53 plate appearances.
The last time the Stompers faced Menlo Park right-handed pitcher Vincent Braga (Santa Clara University), they didn’t record a baserunner and struck out four times in three innings. Saturday, they tallied four baserunners and scored once and struck out once.
The Legends tied the game with a single in the third inning, but Sonoma’s pitching held them scoreless from then on until the seventh.
Stompers right-hander Ethan Rowland served as an opener in his first start of the year. Rowland pitched three innings of one-run ball and allowed three hits and collected two strikeouts.
Pace said that he planned to “go back” to Rowland as an opener next week unless “something changes.”
“I was really happy with him. He got a lot of ground balls,” Pace said. “He did give up a couple hits, but they weren’t hit hard.”
Right-handed pitcher Justin Jones took the ball from Rowland to kick off the fourth inning. The Walnut Creek, Calif., native had started two games earlier in the year after posting a 10.80 ERA in five innings.
In the fifth inning, Pace met with Jones after he motioned to the dugout with two outs and nobody on. Jones walked the next batter which “prolonged” the inning according to Pace but recorded a strikeout to end the frame.
Ultimately, the 5-foot-10 right-hander went two scoreless innings and struck out two in 31 pitches.
Sonoma’s bats remained quiet for most of the night. The Stompers left the bases loaded in the fourth inning after hitting into two lineouts to end the scoring threat.
“The energy was down because we weren’t getting anything going,” Pace said. “It’s just frustrating seeing guy after guy doing the same thing, not taking a different approach at-bat to at-bat or pitch-to-pitch.”
The Legends scored a run in the seventh inning to regain the lead. They added an insurance run in the eighth inning to take a 3-1 lead.
Sonoma responded with a run to make it 3-2 in the eighth inning on an RBI fielder’s choice. However, Sonoma left two runners on base after Sebastiani popped out to end the inning.
In the ninth inning, pinch hitter infielder Caze Derammelaere worked a leadoff walk for the Stompers. Pinch hitter Tino Vasell then batted for infielder Bryson Ayala (Tulane University) and laid down a bunt to advance Derammelaere to second base.
Pace said that he “made the call” on the bunt and viewed Vasell as a “better bunter” than Ayala.
“If it did get to two strikes there, I felt good with Tino’s hitting ability,” Pace said. “Making that move, Tino can go back to third and Caze can go to shortstop if we tied the game.”
The following two hitters got out to end the contest. Outfielder Chase Taylor (University of Connecticut) flew out on a 2-0 count and infielder Misael Uriepero (Youngstown State) struck out swinging.
Pace said the loss was “frustrating.”
“We know we have a good team, we know we didn’t play up to our potential,” Pace said. “It’s definitely very frustrating. When they knock you down, you gotta get up.”
Pace also said the Stompers are “playing down to competition,” something that can’t keep happening as the season goes on.
“It’s happened multiple times with teams we can bury and get rid of and really put away,” Pace said. “We let them hang around, and they believe. Belief is a big message to teams that are struggling.”
The Stompers conclude their four-game homestand Sunday against the Alameda Merchants. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Sonoma defeated Alameda 11-8 in the teams' previous meeting June 11.