HARTLEY TIES PACIFICS ASSOCIATION RBI RECORD IN 12-2 ROUT OVER SALINA

June 11, 2019

SONOMA, Calif- The Sonoma Stompers put up a dozen runs in an offensive explosion over the Salina Stockade in the first of a four-game home stand on Tuesday night at Arnold Field. 

Salina opened the scoring in the top of the second inning off of Stompers right-hander Nick Barnese (0-0). Barnese struggled with walks early in the ballgame and issued a bases-loaded walk to leadoff hitter Justin Byrd to drive in the first run of the game.  

The Stompers answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning on Brock Hartley’s second home run of the season over the right field wall, a two-run shot to give the Stompers a 2-1 lead. 

Hartley struck again in the bottom of the fourth inning when he drove in his third run of the game on a sacrifice fly to score Chris Kwitzer to extend the lead 3-1.

In the bottom of the sixth inning the Stompers scored once again. This time on a two-out bleeding single up the middle off the bat of Bronson Butcher, his first RBI of the year, extending the lead to 4-1. 

Chip White (0-2) lasted six innings for Salina and was replaced by Erick Gaylord in the bottom half of the seventh inning who fared poorly. 

Gaylord lasted only two thirds of an inning, all while allowing an RBI single to Kwitzer and a three-run home run to Jacob Barfield, his third of the season, inflating the lead to 8-1. 

Adding to his already splendid night at the plate, Hartley ended his offensive night with an emphatic grand slam, his second homer of the game, on the first pitch he saw off of Ryan Doerr in the bottom of the eighth inning to blow the game wide open 12-1.  

Hartley ended his night with an exclamation as he took the hill in the top of the ninth. The Stompers emergency reliever allowed one run in his pitching debut as he led the club to a 12-2 win over Salina.

The Stompers are at Arnold Field Wednesday through Friday this week and it’s little league night every night. So bring your little leaguer out and watch Stompers baseball.  

STOMPERS PROMOTE D.J SHARABI TO CLEBURNE RAILROADERS

SONOMA, Calif. - The Sonoma Stompers have promoted right-handed relief pitcher D.J. Sharabi to the American Association’s Cleburne Railroaders. He will be joining former teammate and Pacific Association 2018 Rookie of the Year, Kenny Meimerstorf.

“We are thrilled for D.J. He’s been a vital member of our bullpen for three seasons and is worthy of this honor. We can’t wait to follow him with his former teammate Kenny,” GM Brett Creamer said.

Sharabi, a Millbrae, Calif. native, is in his fourth season of professional baseball. In 2018, he went 8-1 with a 2.45 ERA, collecting 149 strikeouts in 134 innings. The season before, Sharabi appeared in 25 games and 39.1 innings striking out 49 batters.

The San Jose State Spartan started his professional baseball career with the Great Bend Boom in the Pecos League in 2016.

In five games for the Stompers this season, Sharabi collected nine strikeouts in six innings pitched.

To purchase Stompers tickets and to find more information about the team, visit stompersbaseball.com, call us at (707) 938-7277 or send an email to info@stompersbaseball.com.

STOMPERS FINISH FIRST WEEK OF THE SEASON WITH WIN AT NAPA, END FIRST WEEK 4-3

June 8, 2019

NAPA, Calif- The Sonoma Stompers brought their bats to the yard on a Saturday 1:05 start in Napa to conclude their first full week of the season slaughtering the Silverados 10-3.

The Stompers offense woke up right away against Napa right-hander Edward Perez (1-1) in the top of the first inning. Nick Gotta and newcomer Pedro Barrios led off the game with back-to-back singles and slugger Dondrei Hubbard drove in his 10th RBI of the season on a single to give the Stompers the early advantage.

The offense replicated their production in the top of the second inning with a solo homer by Miles Williams, his first of the year, to straight away right field, doubling the lead to 2-0.

The offense continued to produce in the top of the third inning when Hubbard hit a fly ball to center field which should have been caught for the first out but outfielders Jordan Garr and Nick Ultch ran into each other, allowing the ball to drop and Barrios to score, making it 3-0. Chris Kwitzer then made Napa pay for their mistake as he unloaded on a 2-2 fastball to right field for his second home run in as many days, extending the lead to 5-0.

The Stompers failed to score for the first time in the game in the top of the fourth innings but picked back up in the fifth. A walk to Rob DeAngelis opened the inning and was followed by a Hubbard RBI double to right field. Then, with two out, Brock Hartley drove in his fourth RBI of the year as the Stompers poured it on and led 7-0 after five innings.

Henry Omana (1-0) dazzled once again in his second start of the year and his second against Napa. The right-hander tossed five shutout innings while allowing just two hits and struck out five. Well on his way to securing his first win of 2019.

In the top of the seventh inning the Stompers scored three more times. This time on RBI singles from Hartley and DeAngelis, and with some help by an error on the shortstop Malvin Nunez.

Luke Laurita (1-0) kept the shutout alive for his two innings of work before giving way to the Stompers closer Jacob Cox (0-0).

Cox allowed three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning but none were earned, solidifying the 10-3 victory.

The Stompers will have Sunday and Monday off before they return home for a four-game home stand next Tuesday through Friday at Arnold Field.

STOMPERS FALL TO .500 AFTER 6-4 LOSS IN VALLEJO

June 7, 2019

VALLEJO, Calif- The Sonoma Stompers bullpen could not hold on to an early 2-0 lead as the Vallejo Admirals capitalize on mistakes to rally back and win 6-4.

The Stompers got out to an early lead in the top of the second inning on a solo homerun by first baseman Chris Kwitzer, his first of the season, off of left-handed starter Mike Melendez to put the Stompers out in front 1-0 early.

The longball proved to get the better of Melendez in the top of the fifth inning as well when Jacob Barfield hit his second homer in as many days to double the Stompers lead to 2-0.

Ethan Gibbons got the start on the mound today as he tossed four scoreless innings while allowing only three hits and striking out six when his pitch count of 75 forced him out of the game.

Left-hander Brian Browning was first out of the bullpen for Manager Zack Pace in the bottom of the fifth inning. Browning, with one on and two out, hung a curveball to Nick Akins Sr. who hit his second home run of the season to right center field as the Admirals tied the game 2-2 after five innings of play.

The Stompers answered back in the top of the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly from Champi Lucca and an RBI single by Nick Gotta to go back on top 4-2.

Marshall Shill came in to throw the bottom of the seventh inning for the Stompers to try and keep the lead. He could not. Vallejo scored three times on three hits, a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch to take their first lead 5-4.

The Admirals scored again in the bottom of the eighth on a Chris Fornaci sacrifice fly after Aaron Brill reached on an error, solidifying the 6-4 victory.

The Stompers conclude their first week of the season on Saturday afternoon in Napa with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 pm before returning home June 11-14 for their next home stand.

STOMPERS COME BACK FROM DOWN 4 IN 10-7 ROLLERCOASTER VICTORY

June 6, 2019

NAPA, Calif- The Sonoma Stompers opened their first road trip of the 2019 season in Napa on Thursday night against the Silverados. After allowing Napa to plate four runs in the first inning, the Stompers relentless offense put them ahead late in the game for good. 

Right-hander Vijay Patel started on the mound for the Stompers and struggled in the bottom of the first inning. after allowing a leadoff walk to Willie Salas, Patel recorded the first out by way of the flyout but he immediately followed it with another walk to Jordan Garr. With runners at second and third, Josh Montelongo hit a bouncer to third which Jacob Barfield fielded cleanly but threw away, allowing two runs to score on the error. With two outs, JJ Bissell drove in a run with a single to make it 3-0, and he later scored on a wild pitch to cap off the Silverados 4-run first inning. 

The Stompers bounced back offensively in the top of the third inning when Barfield opened the frame with a double down the left field line. Newcomer Champi Lucca then singled to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Nick Gotta, coming into the game hitting .500, then drove in the first Stompers run with a single to right. After back-to-back strikeouts to Miles Williams and Rob DeAngelis, lefty Tre Hobbs surrendered a 2-out, 2-run single to Dondrei Hubbard, as the Stompers closed the gap to 4-3. 

 Napa put up one more run in the bottom half of the third inning on a Montelongo sacrifice fly to make it 5-3. 

In the top of the fourth inning Daniel Molinari drew a 2-out walk to extend the inning after Hobbs got two quick outs. Then Barfield tied the game on a monster home run to left field, his first of the year and his first runs batted in of the year.

Patel ended his night after four innings in which he allowed five runs, two of them, earned, on five hits while walking two and striking out three. 

After a scoreless fifth, the Stompers scratched one run across in the top of the sixth on another Gotta RBI single, giving the Stompers their first lead of the game 6-5. 

Two more runs came through for the Stompers in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single by Chris Kwitzer and an RBI groundout from Brock Hartley to extend the lead 8-5.

Lefty Luke Laurita was first out of the bullpen for Manager Zack Pace and he retired the first seven batter he faced. He started to struggle in the bottom of the seventh, allowing back-to-back 1-out walks, and then a 2-out RBI single to Montelongo before being taken out of the game with an 8-6 lead.

Pace then brought in DJ Sharabi who quickly allowed a 2-out double to Nicco Toni, allowing Napa to come within one run, but he then struck out Bissell looking to end the threat in the seventh. 

The Stompers scored twice more in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Williams and a wild pitch that allowed Gotta to score, once again extending the lead to 10-7.

Ryan Richardson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) then entered to slam the door in the bottom of the ninth. After allowing back-to-back singles to open the inning, Richardson got two punch-outs and a pop up to grab his first save of the year.

The Stompers are now 3-2 on the season and will head to Vallejo for a 6:35 start on Friday night at Wilson Park. 

STOMPERS PROMOTE COLE WATTS TO KANSAS CITY ROYALS!

SONOMA, Calif. – The Sonoma Stompers have promoted Left Handed pitcher Cole Watts to the Kansas City Royals. Watts will report to Arizona where he will then be assigned to one of the Royals affiliated organizations. “We’re thrilled for Cole, and now he’s one step closer to his dream,” General Manager Brett Creamer said.

Watts, a Half Moon Bay native joined the Sonoma Stompers in the middle of the 2018 season where he had 33 strikeouts in just 21 innings of work. Previously to joining the Stompers, Watts was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 31st round of the 2017 draft. In 39 affiliated innings of work, the Skyline JC product struck out 46.

The lefty came into the 2019 season lighting up the radar-gun hitting 92-94 consistently, topping out at 96 miles per hour. "This is what Independent League baseball is all about, and we can’t wait to follow along with Cole’s journey,” Creamer said.

Through four games this season, Watts had a 1-1 record with four strikeouts in three innings pitched.

To purchase Stompers tickets and to find more information about the team, visit stompersbaseball.com, call us at (707) 938-7277 or send an email to info@stompersbaseball.com.

ARNOLD DAZZLES IN HIS STOMPERS DEBUT, LEADS CLUB TO 3-1 WIN

June 5, 2019

SONONA, Calif- On a warm Wednesday night at Arnold Field, right-hander Konner Arnold made his 2019 debut as he collected nine punch-outs in his first win of the season as the Sonoma Stompers improve to .500 on the season.

The game was scoreless through the first four innings before Vallejo finally tallied their first hit off of Arnold in the top of the fifth inning. Jacob Wark and Aaron Brill notched back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners. Arnold struck out Nick Crouse but Brill took off for second base on the pitch. Butcher’s throw down to second, which was late, allowed Wark to score to bring across the first run of the game. 

In the bottom half of the inning, Brock Harltey hit a sky-scraping home run to lead off the inning, tying the game 1-1. 

The story of the game was new Stompers infielder Champi Lucca. He signed his contract on the spot, right before the game started after Cole Watts’ call-up to the Kansas City Royals. Lucca entered the game in the fourth inning at second base.

After Jacob Barfield walked, Lucca smashed a double into the left field corner, putting both runners in scoring position. Then, with the infield pulled in, Nick Gotta hit a rocket passed Vallejo shortstop Zach Files to score both runners, giving the Stompers a 3-1 lead. 

Arnold lasted five innings and allowed only one run on two hits while piling up nine strikeouts and only two walks.

Marshall Shill, who was activated Wednesday, threw three scoreless innings of relief and allowed only 2 hits. 

Jacob Cox then slammed the door in the ninth to collect his first save of the year and bring the Stompers to 2-2 on the year. 

The Stompers will be on the road to conclude the week before they are home again next Tuesday June 11th against the Saline Stockade.

STOMPERS FALL TUESDAY NIGHT 7-4, PACIFICS CAPITALIZE ON WALKS

June 4, 2019

STOMPERS FALL TUESDAY NIGHT 7-4, PACIFICS CAPITALIZE ON WALKS

SONOMA, Calif- The Sonoma Stompers saw the San Rafael Pacifics for the first time on Tuesday night as wily veteran Nick Barnese took the hill for Stompers Manager Zack Pace who looked good early, but his pitch count led to an early exit.

Barnese had trouble commanding the strike zone early in the first inning, allowing back-to-back walks to open the game. After getting two quick outs, Rayson Romero bobbled a grounder at shortstop off the bat of Jimmy Lunardelli, leading to the Pacifics first run. Taylor Zeutenhorst then smacked and RBI single to left, extending the lead 2-0.  

The Stompers bounced back quickly in the bottom half of the first inning with Nick Gotta and Miles Williams delivering back-to-back singles off of San Rafael starter Neil Lang. After getting Chris Kwitzer to strikeout for the first out of the inning, Dondrei Hubbard mashed his third home run in as many games, putting the Stompers ahead 3-2. 

Barnese lasted just three innings, allowing only the two runs while striking out seven and walking four on 61 pitches. The high pitch count forced Zack Pace to bring in left-hander Cole Watts.

In the top of the fourth inning, Watts struggled to find the strike zone. He walked three and allowed back-to-back triples to Corey Dempster and Lunardelli, giving San Rafael the lead right back, 6-3.

Watts allowed one more run in the top of the fifth inning. He retired the first two batters of the inning before walking Ermindo Escobar who later scored on a wild pitch, making the score 7-3.

The Stompers added a run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a throwing error by Lunardelli in left field, allowing Gotta to score, but that was all as the Stompers drop their first two of three and are 1-2 to start the season. 

The Stompers are back home June 5that 6:05 against the Vallejo Admirals before they go on the road to close out the week. 

STOMPERS LOUD 1ST INNING PROPELS THEM TO FISRT WIN OF 2019

SONOMA, Calif.- The Sonoma Stompers welcomed the unbeaten Napa Silverados to Palooza Park at Arnold Field for the first time Sunday night. Even with defensive struggles throughout, the Stompers offense kept them ahead, notching the club’s first win of 2019, 9-4.

Henry Omana started on the hill for Manager Zack Pace and did not disappoint, shutting down the first three hitters in the Silverado line-up, while collecting two strikeouts in the first inning. Leaps and bounds above the pitching struggles the Stompers had on opening night. 

Right hander Billy Felo started for Tito Fuentes Jr’s Silverados and ran into a brick wall that is the Stompers line-up. Right away, second baseman Nick Gotta worked a five-pitch walk to open the game to put an early runner on. Miles Williams was then hit by an 0-2 fastball to put a runner in scoring position. Chris Kwitzer then hit a soft bouncer to Malvin Nunez at second who bobbled the ball initially, then flipped it over the head of Salas at shortstop and into center field, allowing Gotta to come around all the way around and score the game’s first run. 

After the error put runners at the corners Dondrei Hubbard hit his second home run of the season on a 3-2 hanging curveball which he deposited over the bleachers in straight away left field, capping off the Stompers 4-run first inning. 

After another 1-2-3 top of the second inning for Omana, it was clear that the right was dealing, already tallying four punchouts.

Gotta began the bottom of the second in the same fashion as the first, a walk. Williams then worked a full-count walk to put runners at first and second. After a Kwitzer flyout, Hubbard grounded to Napa third baseman Dominic Bethancourt whose wild throw to first scored Gotta, extending the Stompers lead to 5-0. Brock Hartley grounded out to second to score Williams and the Stompers led 6-0 after just two innings of play.

Napa answered in the top of the third inning on an opposite field two-run home run off the bat of shortstop Willie Salas, cutting the Stompers lead to 6-2. 

Omana left the game after just four innings of work but they were spectacular. He allowed only the two runs on five hits while striking out a whopping nine Silverados.

Nobody came across to score in the fifth inning for either side as Felo seemed to find a groove and Stompers lefty Cole Watts appeared for the first time, working a 1-2-3 top of the fifth.

Napa’s luck changed in the sixth when they were able to capitalize on four walks issued by first-year Stomper Luke Laurita. Both runs in the inning were unearned for Laurita as a pair of errors were also committed, allowing Napa to close the gap, 6-4.  

Felo finished with five innings, allowing six runs but only four earned. Carlos Guzman was first out of the bullpen for Fuentes in the bottom of the sixth inning. After allowing a leadoff single to Stompers backstop Bronson Butcher, Guzman surrendered back-to-back walks to load the bases, forcing Fuentes to make another call to the bullpen.

Kyle Chavez was the new pitcher for Napa. He forced Gotta to ground out to shortstop, but driving in a run and making it a 7-4 ballgame. Williams then drove a 2-1 fastball to deep centerfield, easily scoring both runners and inflating the lead to 9-4 which is where it stayed.

Dj Sharabi, Ryan Richardson, and Jacob Cox worked scoreless 7th, 8th, and 9thinnings to close out the game, solidifying the Stompers first win of the year and handing Napa their first loss. 

The Stompers conclude their homestand to open the year with games against the San Rafael Pacifics on Tuesday night and against the Valljeo Admirals on Wednesday night, both at 6:05pm at Palooza Park at Arnold Field.