Stomps fall short of late comeback, lose 4-3 to Merchants

By Jordan Kimball

Thursday’s game was barely five minutes old when the Stomps lost their leader. After dealing with inconsistent calls in the Merchants’ first few at-bats, Sonoma manager Zack Pace voiced his annoyance by walking onto the field and having a conversation with the umpires.

The decision by Pace led to a quick ejection, a momentum-shifter that resulted in the Stomps (5-4, 1-2 CCL) falling 4-3 to Alameda Thursday. The loss was highlighted by a quiet offensive performance, with Sonoma tallying six hits yet just two runs before the eighth inning. Meanwhile, the Stomps’ pitching held the Merchants to five hits but allowed three runs in the first inning.

“Hats off to (Alameda). They had some arms. They did their job,” Stomps acting manager Paul Maytorena said postgame. “We got some good swings off when we needed to, but it just fell in the wrong hands.”

In Sonoma’s recent games, it’s taken an early lead and forced its competition to match. But right from the get-go Thursday, the Stomps fell behind. In starting pitcher Brandon Leon’s first appearance in CCL play, he allowed three earned runs in one inning of work. Control was Leon’s issue, as he threw 21 balls and hit one batter in the frame.

Unlike Wednesday’s loss, when the Stomps continued to match the San Luis Obispo Blues, a single from Colton Boardman was all Sonoma received in the first inning. He entered scoring position on a stolen base, but a McCann Libby groundout erased the threat.

From there, the Stomps’ pitching held their ground. Harun Pelja replaced Leon on the rubber and quickly retired the Merchants’ top four hitters.

Sonoma capitalized on Pelja’s strong performance. After the Stomps’ first two hitters were sat down, Brady Shannon was hit by a pitch. Trent Keys followed with a single, and Connor Pawlowski’s base hit drove Shannon home.

Sonoma wasn’t done, though. Pawlowski and Keys each advanced 90 feet after a wild pitch, giving the Stomps their second run of the game. The rally put Sonoma down one, but it would be challenging to score again.

Pelja struggled in the third inning, allowing a run on Frank Zapata’s single that scored Jace Jeremiah. That was all the Merchants would get for the rest of the game, though.

As the contest progressed, it seemed like a constant battle for the Stomps to find magic at the plate. They consistently put runners on base but couldn’t find ways to drive them home. 

In the third inning, Boardman led off with a walk, but Nick Sebastiani, Libby and Paul Lizzul went down in order to end the inning. A similar sequence occurred in the fourth. Adam Alharbi and Shannon were retired quickly, but Keys showed some fight. After six pitches, though, Keys struck out swinging for out No. 3, bringing Sonoma closer to a loss.

“Thirteen runners was plenty, but we just didn’t get the big hit,” Maytorena said. “Tonight was the big hit. We need a productive at-bat, and we didn’t get it at the time.”

The game became repetitive. Another strong showing by Pelja in the fifth inning — his fourth and final frame of the game — brought the Stomps to the dish with a fighting chance to break their silence. However, a Landon Akers single was all Sonoma received, a brief flicker of light in a dark inning.

The sixth saw the Stomps in one of their best positions of the night. After Libby was put away on a groundout, Esteban Sepulveda and Alharbi walked. Charlie Malton did his job, moving both runners over with a groundout to second base.

But with two outs, Sonoma’s threat was erased. Keys chopped one to third, where a deep throw was made to catch him at first.

While the Stomps’ time seemed to be running out, their pitching held firm. After Pelja’s four-inning relief outing, Jaxen Rowland, Jason Olvera and Nicholas Poulus continued to clean up from the bullpen.

The seventh inning saw Rowland retire Alameda in four batters to complete his day on the hill, before Sonoma again showed life. But the trend continued. Pawlowski and Akers reached base. They advanced when Boardman hit a ball to third. Yet Sebastiani and Libby couldn’t get the ball out of the infield, stranding two runners in scoring position.

The momentum only crumbled from there. The eighth saw Sonoma put runners in scoring position again, scoring one on a wild pitch. But at the plate, hitters failed to battle, swinging at pitches out of the zone to head to the ninth.

With one chance left, the odds looked promising. But in the same fashion as the rest of the game, the Stomps put a runner on base but couldn’t drive him home, resulting in the 4-3 loss.

“The scoreboard shows it. We’re in reach every time. We’re not down by a touchdown,” Maytorena said. “That’s the dog in (us).”

Sonoma returns to Arnold Field on Friday, looking to snap its two-game losing streak with a 6:05 p.m. matchup against the San Francisco Seagulls.

Stomps fall 4-3 in back-and-forth affair against San Luis Obispo

By Jordan Kimball

Losses are part of the grind in sports, but for the Stomps, they’ve been rare. After falling in its first two games of the 2025 campaign, Sonoma had won four straight entering Wednesday’s matchup with the San Luis Obispo Blues. Coming off a 7-1 win Tuesday against the Blues, the Stomps were in the driver’s seat. But you can’t win them all, and that was shown in Sonoma’s (5-3, 1-1 CCL) 4-3 loss to SLO Wednesday.

“Every day, whether we win or lose, we gotta be ready to go and try to improve tomorrow,” Stomps manager Zack Pace said postgame. “It’s just about being ready to work again and trying to bring it to get a victory.”

While Sonoma fell to the Blues Wednesday, it started things off nearly mirroring its 7-1 win the day prior. The Blues had a runner on early in the first inning Tuesday, and the same happened Wednesday. But both times, the Stomps’ pitching shut them down. A deep fly ball was caught by Sonoma right fielder Brady Shannon before SLO’s Eli Henderson walked on seven pitches. But Stomps’ starter Devon Laguinto — in his second start of the 2025 campaign — settled in. He sat down Donovan Jordan and Mason Ashlock to end the inning.

When Sonoma had its first chance, it capitalized. On Blues starter Scott Bauman’s opening pitch, Landon Akers was nailed in the shoulder. He advanced to second on a Heeryun Han sacrifice bunt before a double-steal brought him to third and Nick Sebastiani to second after a four-pitch walk.

A wild pitch soon advanced them, giving the Stomps the early lead. Following the run, Bauman exited the game with an injury, and former Stomp Hawk Hill replaced him. Hill retired Charlie Malton to end the first, but Sonoma was in front.

“It’s good seeing some guys get a little bit more comfortable and swing the bat a little bit better,” Pace said. “That’s definitely a good thing to see, and hopefully, we keep improving.”

The lead didn’t last long, though. Zach Tallerman led off the second inning with a double and was driven home on a 6-3 groundout. But similar to the first, Laguinto got comfortable. He put away Sonoma State catcher Brodie Miller and Gavin Constantine, giving the Stomps another chance to get in front.

Colton Boardman started a rally. He singled on Hill’s second pitch, advancing to third base on an Esteban Sepulveda single. Boardman then scored on a Paul Lizzul base hit, reclaiming the lead for Sonoma.

But in a seesaw affair, the lead again disappeared. Laguinto’s intended pitch count was 40, and the Blues’ lineup brought him there quickly in the third. SLO leadoff man Ethan Royal and two-hole Henderson both singled. A bunt from Jordan advanced them each 90 feet before Ashlock ripped a single into left field to drive them both home.

And unlike the other innings when the Stomps and Blues matched each other, Sonoma had no answer. Sebastiani, McCann Libby and Malton were erased in order in the bottom half as Nikolas Haas took the mound in the fourth.

To start, Haas was nearly flawless. In his three innings of work, he allowed just two hits and struck out three. However, in the top of the sixth, with the Blues still ahead 3-2, Tallerman notched his second extra-base hit with a home run to deep left field. The lead was SLO’s largest of the two-game series, but the momentum continued to swing.

Libby led off the bottom of the sixth with a deep homer, cutting the Stomps’ deficit to one. Boardman singled after a Malton flyout to the warning track, but Shannon grounded into a double play to end the threat.

From there, both teams’ offenses were relatively silent. Chris Albee replaced Haas on the rubber, retiring the Blues with ease to bring Sepulveda to the dish. Though a hard lineout snared by SLO’s second baseman foreshadowed the rest of the Stomps’ inning.

Lizzul singled, but a firm Akers lineout erased it after pinch runner Kieran Baker was doubled up at first base — the Blues’ third double play in as many innings.

With SLO down quickly, Sonoma was back at the plate. Yet, the same story remained. Han failed to reach base for the third time after he and Sebastiani flew out, before Libby ended things with a strikeout.

With only one inning remaining, the momentum was low for the Stomps, but their pitching staff continued to impress. Albee allowed a leadoff single, but two lineouts and an 8-5 putout brought Sonoma to the dish for one last time.

However, nothing materialized. Malton, Boardman and Shannon were put away, ending Sonoma’s four-game win streak.

“We’re still a good team, and we’re gonna be right where we wanna be at the end of the year,” Pace said. “It’s baseball. You’re not gonna win them all. We’re going to get out there tomorrow and hopefully get a victory.”

The Stomps will look to get back on track when they return to Arnold Field on Thursday for a 6:05 p.m. battle with the Alameda Merchants.

Stomps open CCL play with 7-1 win over San Luis Obispo

By Jordan Kimball

Offense was the difference in the Stomps’ last game — a 15-14 win over the Alameda Anchors that closed non-league play Sunday. Pitching dominated the Anchors a day prior in a 4-2 victory.

Both played a key role Tuesday in Sonoma’s (4-2, 1-0 CCL) 7-1 CCL-opener win against the San Luis Obispo Blues. The Stomps tallied six hits and reached base 13 times, providing too much firepower at the plate for the Blues’ pitching staff to handle. Meanwhile, their staff struck out 16 batters and allowed just five hits.

“We’ve been playing better since our first couple games. Guys are jelling a lot more together,” Stomps manager Zack Pace said postgame. “I like our morale. I like our team’s confidence building. It’s a good victory for us.”

As league play got underway at Arnold Field, Jayden Harper immediately silenced any premature hope for SLO. The Cal State Fullerton senior let up a quick double to Blues centerfielder Ethan Royal but struck out the next two hitters. He finished things off by forcing a Donovan Jordan flyout, giving the Stomps their first chance at the plate.

They quickly took the lead. After Landon Akers lined out on the first pitch he saw, Heeryun Han walked. He took off for second base before Nic Sebastiani drove him in via a full-count double roped down the right-field line. The Stomps doubled their damage when Sebastiani scored on a wild pitch.

After Harper recorded two more punchouts in the second inning, Sonoma started right where it left off offensively. Charlie Malton and Anthony Scheppler reached base on two straight errors by SLO first baseman Brendan Comerford. Trent Keys then walked to load the bases before Luke Duncan was hit to bring home a run. Then came the leadoff man, Akers, who made the Blues pay. After a wild pitch advanced each runner 90 feet, which scored Scheppler, Akers singled to drive in Keys and Duncan.

SLO went to its bullpen, but the result barely changed. Han was hit, and a passed ball moved him and Akers up to second and third. McCann Libby followed with a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Akers, putting the finishing touch on the five-run inning.

“(Our offense) is a little scrappy. (We’re) trying to find a way on,” Pace said. “We had a very good approach in those first couple innings and scored a lot of runs.”

Even down big, the Blues struggled to battle. They were held with just three base runners in the first three innings, and each time, nothing materialized.

However, that trend didn’t continue in the fourth. Ryan Seo replaced Harper on the mound, and he quickly struggled. The first three batters he faced reached base, resulting in Jordan scoring on a Comerford single.

From there, though, Seo settled in. He retired the Blues’ next three hitters, including a strikeout on Kosei Suzuki — a .344 hitter from Frank Phillips College.

Seo showcased even more dominance in the sixth and seventh innings, accumulating six more strikeouts against the final seven batters he faced. The result? A three-inning outing for Seo with seven strikeouts, also pitching his most innings since joining Cal State Fullerton before the 2025 season.

“Lots of sliders. Slider was good. Fastball was good. Just trying to fill up the zone, and good things will happen,” Seo said of his approach and what worked.

While Seo dominated the Blues, the Stomps struggled offensively, tallying three singles from the fourth to the seventh inning. And when Kyle Seo, Ryan’s brother, took his spot on the mound, Sonoma continued to stay silent, with its lone hit over the last two innings a Scheppler single to left field.

But Kyle held firm. He matched his brother, pitching three innings while striking out four. He also didn’t allow a base runner, capping off a solid all-around win for the Stomps to open CCL play.

“I’ve obviously played a lot of baseball with (Kyle),” Seo said. “It’s fun to get out here with my brother. It’s super meaningful and a great opportunity.”

Sonoma takes on the Blues once again on Wednesday for its second CCL game. First pitch will be at 6:05 p.m. at Arnold Field.

Hee-Ryun Han’s walk-off single lifts Stomps to 15-14 win over Alameda Anchors

By Jordan Kimball

With bases loaded and no outs, Hee-Ryun Han calmly approached the plate. He took one practice-swing, grabbed the brim of his helmet, used the remaining pine tar from the handle of his bat and stepped into the box.

On third base stood Kieran Baker. Landon Akers straddled second, and Adam Alharbi was on first. The Alameda Anchors drew their infield in, knowing if they didn’t catch Baker at home, the game would be over.

The lefty Han took Jafari Williams’ first offering inside for a ball. Then, Han came through.

On the 1-0 count, he pulled a chopper to first base, where an outstretched dive from Titus Wheelock wasn’t enough. The ball rolled into right field, and Baker came home to seal Sonoma’s win.

“I just try not to strikeout first,” Han said postgame of his approach in that final at-bat. “I just try to hit middle middle. I think that was my goal and my job.”

With Han’s heroics, Sonoma (3-2, 0-0 CCL) survived an offensive battle, as the Anchors and Stomps combined for 25 hits. After giving up a six-run lead after the eighth inning, Sonoma battled back to score one in the ninth to take a 15-14 victory in its final non-league matchup.

“Just trying to score and keep it up, cheer me up. That’s why we get the (runs) in the ninth inning. It worked out today,” Han said.

Prior to Han’s game-winning at-bat, he could be spotted down the right field line in the bullpen warming up.

In nine appearances on the rubber at the New Mexico Military Institute in 2023-24, Han pitched 12 innings with a 6.00 ERA. He also had 52 hits in 150 at-bats, including 13 doubles and four triples.

After Han’s time with the Broncos concluded, he attended Los Medanos College, where his two-way presence was displayed. In 43 games, Han sported a .404 batting average with 41 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He also pitched 10 innings.

If Sunday’s game was extended, Han was again ready to showcase his unique prowess.

“Going two ways is a hard job, but when I throw on the mound and warm up to pitch, I just think about how I’m still facing the hitter,” Han said. “That’s why, when I go on deck, I can think about (the approach to take).”

Despite Han’s game-winning hit, contributions from other Stomps led him to that position. On the mound to open the afternoon was Nick Santivanez. His command was in check early, striking out the side to begin the game.

In the second inning, his dominance remained, as the Anchors were again retired in order after a strikeout, groundout and popout. However, Sonoma couldn’t capitalize, with Matt Orozco matching each of Santivanez’s moves.

Finally, the Stomps opened the scoring during their third time at the dish. After Connor Pawlowski and Paul Lizzul were put away on 10 total pitches, Akers — Sonoma’s leadoff hitter — was up. He took the first pitch from Orozco for a ball before crushing a pitch inside over the left field fence to put the Stomps ahead.

The run proved crucial, as Alameda battled back and took a 3-1 lead after its next time at the plate. But in a seesaw battle, Sonoma scored two courtesy of a McCann Libby double and a Trent Keys single to even the score.

The fifth inning is when things escalated. The Anchors immediately attacked Shane Aldridge when he replaced Santivanez. They scored five runs on five hits against him and Jaden Mason before the Stomps returned to the dugout.

But with Lawrence Westbrook entering for Alameda, Sonoma answered back. Led by an Akers single, an Alharbi single, a wild pitch and a Charlie Malton sacrifice-fly, the Stomps entered the sixth trailing 8-7.

After Mason and Dylan Adelman each settled down — pitching scoreless sixth and seventh innings — the Stomps finally exploded. To take the lead, they scored seven runs on just two hits in the bottom of the seventh. Five walks and a hit-by-pitch pushed Sonoma ahead.

But while the outcome looked decided, Alameda wasn’t done. It scored six runs on six hits between the eighth and ninth innings, setting up Han in the bottom half of the final frame to do his job.

As mentioned, he delivered.

The Stomps will look to extend their three-game win streak when they open CCL play on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. against the San Luis Obispo Blues at Arnold Field.

Pitching staff carries Stompers in 4-2 win over Alameda Anchors

By Jordan Kimball

Both sides of the ball highlighted the Stomps’ victory over the Petaluma Express Friday, but it couldn’t have happened if Sonoma’s bullpen wasn’t so dominant. After Brandon Leon tossed three innings while allowing four runs on four hits, Jaxen Rowland entered to face the Express’ six-, seven- and eight-hole. And despite them hitting late in the order, Will Tokar’s .276 batting average was the lowest among the group.

The Stomps had seen base-runner after base-runner, but Rowland, followed by Nick Poulos and Harun Pelja, allowed just three hits in six innings of work. They silenced a prevalent Petaluma offense, which in turn fueled the Stomps to steal a 12-6 victory.

“It’s a huge confidence builder. We talk about momentum being a big boulder and trying to get that thing pushing,” Stomps manager Zack Pace said of the win. “We gotta start it now, and hopefully we can keep that boulder rolling.”

It continued Saturday as Sonoma (2-2, 0-0 CCL) defeated the Alameda Anchors 4-2. Carried by six pitchers, the Stomps allowed just four hits and only walked three batters to win their second straight game.

“We have new guys (on the mound) every single night. Just seeing guys that are gonna fill up the zone and compete,” Pace said. “That’s what we want, and that’s gonna get us a lot of outs.”

Unlike Friday, when the Express fired early, the Anchors took time to find their footing. Sonoma State’s David Howard got Zac Ragland and Logan Kim to ground out before allowing his first base-runner of the day via walk. However, on Howard’s third offering to John Clinkenbeard, he was retired, bringing the Stomps to the dish.

For the first time this summer, Sonoma got ahead early. Landon Akers — who Pace named a “player to watch” — grounded out, but Colton Boardman started things with a walk. From there, he stole second base despite Nic Sebastiani retired on strikes. McCann Libby came to the plate, holding the cleanup spot for the second straight game.

His positioning was key, as he forced an error out of second baseman Paul Wagner to score Boardman and give the Stomps an early lead.

Sonoma wasn’t done though. After continued dominance from Howard, Anthony Scheppler led the second inning off with a four-pitch walk. Paul Lizzul and Connor Pawlowski followed with singles, loading the bases with no outs.

Hee-Ryun Han came up in a large spot and hit his fourth pitch far enough into center field to score Scheppler. Akers and Boardman were soon retired, but the damage was done.

The trend on the mound continued through the third, before Patrick Richardson replaced Howard. The momentum didn’t shift, though. Richardson swiftly retired Kim, Titus Wheelock and Clinkenbeard on 12 pitches, but Scheppler, Lizzul and Pawlowski matched them against the Anchors’ Tyler Kennedy.

The next two frames saw more of the same, with Alameda down quickly and Sonoma unable to capitalize. But in the seventh inning, the Stomps broke through. After Kyle Seo’s clean sixth inning, Charlie Malton toed the rubber. Despite the switch, Alameda couldn’t produce. It was back on defense in three hitters for the fourth time.

Finally, the Stomps made it pay. Han doubled before Akers tripled. Lawrence Westbrook was brought onto the bump, but not much changed. Sebastiani singled to score Akers, doubling Sonoma’s lead with two more chances for Alameda.

However, after calm all game, the Anchors showed fight in the eighth. Luke Duncan struggled on the mound, facing six hitters and allowing two runs. But with bases loaded, Braden Guentz replaced Duncan and ultimately won the game for the Stomps.

“I’m just figuring out a way to try and limit (damage). Maybe (allow) one (run) if they get a sac-fly but just (have to) do my best,” Guentz said postgame.

Guentz did better than his best. After a three-pitch battle, Brenden Lister grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and hold Sonoma’s lead. While the Stomps didn’t tack on any more runs, Guentz silenced Alameda again in the ninth to earn a save and bring Sonoma to .500 with a Sunday matinee on deck.

“I just trust (myself). I knew I got the results I wanted (and)... what I did while pitching was what I needed to do,” Guentz said.

The Stomps finish non-league play with one last matchup against the Anchors Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Arnold Field. From there, Sonoma will begin CCL play on Tuesday against the San Luis Obispo Blues.

Stompers defeat Petaluma Express 12-6 to earn 1st win of 2025

By Jordan Kimball

In the Stomps’ two losses thus far in 2025, one key facet of baseball has been absent. On Wednesday against the Bercovich Honors, Sonoma’s offense tallied seven runs, but its pitching fell apart in the late innings, resulting in an 8-7 defeat.

Thursday’s matchup with the Petaluma Express showed an inverted trend, with the Stomps’ pitching staff allowing just three runs, but their offense only scored two, one of which came with two outs in the ninth inning. But Stomps’ manager Zack Pace and his team stayed positive, knowing a win was in sight.

“Just take it day by day. It’s a long year. It’s gonna be better from here on out,” Pace said pregame Friday on what he’s been telling his team. “Let’s do a better job today.”

Still searching for its first victory, Sonoma (1-2, 0-0 California Collegiate League) delivered a complete performance Friday, defeating the Express 12-6. The Stomps reached base 23 times, behind 11 hits while on the mound, starter Brandon Leon teamed with relievers Jaxen Rowland, Nick Poulos and Harun Pelja to stifle Petaluma’s offense, holding it to seven hits.

“Just learning from our mistakes. Trying to just make sure we’re a little bit better next time,” Pace said pregame. “Being able to move on and being ready for that next moment, that next play.”

The Stomps’ two losses had been emotionally draining — both one-run games that just didn’t go their way. Friday’s win was a sign of what’s to come. But it didn’t start as smoothly as the final score shows.

After Jelani Mason started the game off with a groundout, Petaluma’s Kalen Clemmens took his first offering to the opposite field for a home run that barely scraped over the wall. The Express were immediately out to a 1-0 lead, but Leon shut down J.T. Summers and Lucas Schaefer to limit the damage.

While the Stomps threatened in the bottom half, where Colton Boardman reached third base — a Nic Sebastiani double play in which Boardman was gunned down at home ended the inning. Friday’s matchup looked like it may mirror the others.

Again, the Express scored in the second inning, this time, lifted by a leadoff double from Caze Derammelaere. Will Tokar reached on an error before Justin Lucas grounded into a run-scoring fielder’s choice.

Up 2-0, Petaluma held all the momentum, but the Stomps quickly flipped it in the second. McCann Libby — who replaced Anthony Scheppler at third base for the first time this season — started things off with an infield base hit. Esteban Sepulveda and Kieran Baker followed with singles, loading the bases. While Trent Keys went down on strikes, Ben Sebastiani walked to bring home the Stomps’ first run of the evening. 

The inning didn’t stop there, though. Adam Alharbi’s groundout plated another run, tying the game at 2-2 heading into the third frame.

From there, the Express continued to produce at the plate, scoring two runs on a Schaefer longball. But Sonoma kept matching them, scoring one of its own in the bottom half to again tighten its deficit.

With Rowland entered into the game for the Stomps, Petaluma settled down and was retired in order for the first time of the night. Sonoma couldn’t take advantage, but after another solid inning from Rowland, it finally capitalized, tying the game after Nic scored on a Baker single.

The Stomps kept going, though, hitting through the order in the sixth after a leadoff walk from Ben. Alharbi laid down a sacrifice bunt before Landon Akers and Boardman also reached base. Three more walks brought home three more runs, and Sonoma entered the seventh inning with a commanding 7-4 lead.

It was needed, too, because the Express added two of their own in the top half of the seventh, trailing just 7-6 with the bottom of the Stomps’ order due up. While they faltered, being retired in order, Petaluma’s seven-, eight- and nine-hole each struck out in the eighth, which was enough to fire up the Stomps.

As a result, they tallied five runs in the eighth inning, sealing the dominant victory despite trailing early.

The Stomps will look for their second win of the season and to continue their streak with a matchup against the Alameda Anchors on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Arnold Field.

Stompers fall to 0-2 with 3-2 loss to Petaluma Express

By Jordan Kimball

Seventy-two hours together isn’t much time, and for the Stompers, it showed. After a brief team meeting on Monday, the new wave of Stomps — most of whom had recently arrived from their respective schools — took their first steps onto Arnold Field on Tuesday for batting practice.

Then, on Wednesday, the season began.

Facing a non-league foe like the Bercovich Honors allowed Sonoma a chance to find its footing. Despite the Stomps leading most of the contest, the Honors pulled ahead late with seven walks in the ninth inning and never looked back, claiming an 8-7 victory.

Following an impressive third-place finish in the California Collegiate League in 2024, Sonoma’s loss increased its hunger to begin its campaign on the right foot. Thursday’s matchup with the Petaluma Express offered another opportunity to enter the win column.

However, a three-run third inning by Petaluma paired with a complete-game gem from pitcher Luke Dillon powered the Express over Sonoma (0-2, 0-0 CCL) 3-2. After tossing six innings and striking out eight in a 2024 outing against the Stomps, Dillon went the distance Thursday, fanning nine and allowing just six hits.

Despite Wednesday’s defeat, Sonoma had already solidified much of its starting nine, including its lineup’s top five hitters. They had flashed potential, with Anthony Scheppler driving a triple into the outfield and Nic Sebastiani building off his 2024 season in which he hit .324.

Though on Thursday, that momentum looked like a distant memory. The Stomps were retired in order in the opening frame via a Landon Akers flyout, Colton Boardman popout and a Sebastiani lineout.

On the other end, Sonoma’s Devon Laguinto matched Dillon pitch-for-pitch. In the first inning, Laguinto fanned Jelani Mason and Lucas Schaefer, with J.T. Summers grounding out in between. He added two more punchouts in the second.

When the Stomps returned to the dish, they had a prime opportunity to strike ahead with their three-, four- and five-hole due up. But the inning started flat. Esteban Sepulveda and Scheppler were retired on grounders to the pitcher and first baseman. A two-out rally seemed unlikely until Kieran Baker extended the inning after being hit by a pitch.

From there, Baker stole second and advanced to third on an error by Express catcher Mason Cox. But Adam Alharbi struck out to end the threat.

Had the Stomps scored in the second, the momentum might’ve flipped. Instead, Petaluma escaped the jam and seized it in the third. Cox overcame his earlier mistake with a dribbler over the mound he beat out for an infield single.

Laguinto retired the next hitter, but with one on and the top of the order due up, Petaluma was poised to capitalize. Mason grounded out, while Kalen Clemmens reached on a hit-by-pitch. Summers followed with a walk after falling behind 0-2 to load the bases. 

Schaefer returned to the dish, and on the first offering, he popped it into shallow left field. A miscommunication between Sebastiani and Scheppler led to the ball bouncing off Scheppler’s glove, allowing two runs to score.

Caze Derammelaere then singled off Scheppler’s glove down the third base line, driving in the Express’ third run. Summers was thrown out trying to take third to end the inning, but the damage was done.

The three runs were all Petaluma needed to hold off the Stomps. Dillon remained dominant, recording two strikeouts in the third despite giving up his first hit to Akers. He then induced a double play the following inning to erase a Sebastiani single. 

Sonoma generated some life in the fifth, as Connor Pawlowski, Boardman and Baker all walked alongside an Akers single. However, the rally produced just one run, with Alharbi, Paul Lizzul and Sebastiani retired.

The Stomps added their final run down to their last out with a 102-mile-per-hour 343-foot solo home run for pinch-hitter Trent Keys. But Pawlowski worked the following count to 2-2 and went down on strikes to close the game.

The Stomps will look to bounce back and earn their first win of the 2025 season Friday when they rematch the Express at 6 p.m. at Arnold Field.

Previewing the Stompers’ 2025 campaign

By Jordan Kimball

As Stompers manager Zack Pace strolled off the diamond for the final time in 2024, pride settled in. Despite falling 5-2 to the top-seeded Walnut Creek Crawdads in the California Collegiate League North Divisional Round, Sonoma had completed its first 30-win season in Pace’s six-year tenure and reached the league’s biggest stage for the first time since joining three years prior.

However, while Pace and his team felt immense joy, they ultimately fell short of their quest to win the CCL. But with Pace now back for his seventh year and a bolstered roster in place, expectations are soaring ahead of Sonoma’s 2025 season-opener against the Bercovich Honors on Wednesday.

“When competing on the field, you have to do everything you can to win,” Pace said. “It’s all about winning. Trying to put a good product on the field to win the ballgame that night. That’s the goal. That’s why we play the game.”

Here’s everything to know about the Stompers’ 2025 campaign before first pitch:

Playing for the Stomps is a launching pad. Every player who steps onto Arnold Field carries either untapped potential or a compelling career. Despite fielding one of the CCL’s youngest rosters last season, with 19 of Sonoma’s 34 players underclassmen at their respective schools, it defied expectations, finishing in third place just behind the Crawdads and the Conejo Oaks.

With many of the Stomps’ previous stars departing, they’ve focused on bolstering their lineup, starting with infielders Landon Akers from Bellarmine and Anthony Scheppler from Ohio State. 

In his redshirt freshman season with the Knights, Akers earned All-Atlantic Sun Conference Second Team honors at shortstop and was named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team. He led Bellarmine in hits, total bases, stolen bases, batting average, doubles and runs scored, ranking in the top 10 in the ASUN in each of those statistics.

His .356 batting average and six home runs would’ve paced the Stompers last season for hitters with 20-plus at-bats, while his .511 slugging percentage would’ve ranked second, just behind Nic Sebastiani, who will return for another season with Sonoma.

In Scheppler’s first season with the Buckeyes, the Novato native didn’t see a starting role but filled in as a pinch hitter and infielder.

Though Scheppler’s time was limited at Ohio State, he’s no stranger to offensive success. In his senior year at San Marin High School (California), Scheppler slashed a .337 batting average with 31 hits, 10 doubles, seven home runs and 37 RBIs. His power alongside Akers’ consistency brings confident bats to a lineup where just two starters hit above .250 in 2024.

“(Scheppler’s) a good ball player, and he’s just young. I can’t wait to see those guys, and I think they’ll have those key tools we need,” Pace said. “I’m just excited to see them play.”

Also expected to make a significant impact at the plate is McCann Libby, who announced his transfer from Navarro College to Louisiana Tech University on Nov. 16, 2024. In his final season with the Bulldogs, Libby hit .320 with seven home runs and 45 RBIs. He’ll provide Sonoma with a pivotal plate presence while displaying a flexible glove as a utility player across the diamond.

On the mound, the Stomps will rely on right-handed pitcher Cole Pacheco, a senior at Indiana State. Despite appearing in just two games for the Sycamores, Pacheco’s 28 outings, 38.0 innings pitched and 4.74 ERA out of the bullpen over two seasons at Modesto Junior College anchor the Stomps’ young group.

Joining him on the bump will be Jayden Harper, a senior at Cal State Fullerton. Unlike Pacheco, in Harper’s debut season at the Division I level, he shoved, earning a 3.68 ERA in 15 appearances with the Titans.

As CSUF’s season progressed, Harper secured a solidified role as a starter, pitching five innings on May 10 against Hawaii and six at UC Irvine on May 16. After two seasons at Ohlone College, the southpaw holds the Renegades’ record for most strikeouts per nine innings.

While the five aforementioned players will look to lead the Stompers back to postseason baseball, they’ll also rely heavily on Sebastiani, who hit .347 in 2024 with Sonoma, Jack Lazark, a versatile option at both the dish and on the mound, and Chris Albee and Raul Valdivia, who both appeared out of the bullpen 10-plus times in 2024 — among others, with a league title in mind.

“There’s nothing better than winning a championship. That’s (goal) number one,” Pace said. “Playing good quality baseball in the moment, staying locked in on every pitch and trying to win the little battles to win the big battle at the end.”

2025 Stompers Season Kickoff

SONOMA, Calif. — The Sonoma Stompers are thrilled to announce the launch of their 2025 campaign! The 11-week schedule will feature fierce competition among five Northern California teams — the Walnut Creek Crawdads, Menlo Park Legends, Alameda Merchants, San Francisco Seagulls, and San Luis Obispo Blues — and five Southern California teams — the Santa Barbara Foresters, Orange County Riptide, MLB Academy (Compton), Arroyo Seco Saints, and Conejo Oaks.

The 2024 season concluded with the Conejo Oaks capturing the California Collegiate League (CCL) Championship Trophy, while the Walnut Creek Crawdads finished as runners-up. The Sonoma Stompers placed third in the CCL Northern Division with a league record of 21-15 and an overall record of 30-17. Since joining the CCL, the Stompers have steadily improved their performance, with records of 11-23 in 2022 and 16-19 in 2023.

The 2024 Stompers season also saw an 7% increase in total attendance, averaging 465 fans per game for a season total of over 14,880 loyal supporters. Fans witnessed outstanding performances, including six Stompers selected to the 2024 CCL All-North Division Team: Trent Abel (CSU Northridge), Alijah Ramos (CSU Fullerton), Darvin Scott (Menlo College), Nick Sebastiani (Santa Rosa JC), Destin Allen-Fox (CSU Northridge), and Dylan Goff (CSU Fullerton). Abel and Allen-Fox also earned spots on the 2024 All-CCL Team, recognized by head coaches as two of the league's top performers.

The Stompers also demonstrated their developmental prowess, with 10 players transferring or advancing to higher levels of baseball: Sean Flowers (Akron University), Hawk Hill (Sonoma State), Jake Tirk (CSU San Marcos), AJ Carter (Northern Colorado), Brett Mallett (University of the Pacific), Joseph Cardinale (Pepperdine University), Chris Albee (Jessup University), Ben Giovannetti (Ball State), Nick Sebastiani (Santa Rosa JC), and Carson Glavich (Oregon Tech).

The 2025 campaign promises even more excitement, with a packed 30-32 game home schedule at the beloved Arnold Field. The season will kick off around Memorial Day Weekend and conclude in early August, with the full schedule to be released in the coming weeks.

The Stompers are also excited to introduce changes to their front office. John Keady joins as the new President and General Manager, while former President and GM Eddie Mora-Loera transitions into a Senior Advisor role. Returning front office members include Chase Anderson (Operations Manager) and Kiran Costa (Director of Broadcasting & Journalism).

On the field, the Stompers will welcome back their trusted coaching staff: Zack Pace (Field Manager), Mike Nunes (Pitching Coach), Casey Gilroy (Bench Coach), and Paul Maytorena (Assistant Coach). Additional rising coaching talents will be announced soon.

Join us for an unforgettable 2025 season as we continue to grow our legacy and bring thrilling baseball action to the Sonoma community!

Sonoma Stompers 2024: The Recap

The Sonoma Stompers season came to a close last night, so let’s take a look back over the highly successful summer. The Stomps made it all the way to the CCL North Divisional Round, and were one win away from making the championship series. This is history for the organization, as manager Zack Pace led Sonoma’s to their first playoff appearance and first playoff win in three years of being in the CCL.

College players came from across California and even from across the country to play for the Stompers. We also had various Sonoma county natives competing for their hometown team. This unique combination of talent crafted a successful season and entertaining baseball for Sonoma fans.

With the bats, two players cemented themselves as the leaders, ending up as the one and two hitters by the playoffs. This would be Cal State Fullerton second baseman Alijah Ramos and Cal State Northridge shortstop Trent Abel. The middle infielders led the team in batting average and on base percentage. Ramos hit .323, while Abel hit .302 also leading Sonoma with 21 RBIs. Paul Contreras also made his mark on the Sonoma season. Contreras, who will also be attending Cal State Fullerton next year, launched six home runs in league play, which led the team and was second in the entire CCL. 

Destin Allen-Fox and Jake Tirk were two of the Stompers “true” starters, who started every game they pitched. Both were impressive on the season, with ERAs below 4.00. Allen-Fox was a strikeout machine, with 38 punch outs in 25.2 innings. He also had pitched a gem in the CCL North Wild Card game against the SLO Blues, with five innings of work, where he struck out ten. 

Out of the pen, Sonoma was spectacular. Led by guys like Dylan Goff, Hawk Hill, Brent Mallet,  and Dylan Burke, the Stomps had a team ERA of 4.00, one of the top in the CCL. Goff, yet another Cal State Fullerton product, appeared ten times in CCL play, where he sported a 1.90 ERA, striking out 29 in 23.2 innings. He also tossed two scoreless innings in the Wild Card game. Hawk Hill was used both as a starter and reliever, with eight appearances, where he held a 2.61 ERA. Hill has been with the Stompers for a couple years now, attending Cumberland University. The other names noted all had elite stats, with ERAs well below 3.00.

Sonoma started CCL play on the backs of this pitching effort, as they led the CCL North in ERA as they went into the break. The Stomps were second in the standings, and Goff, Allen-Fox, Thornton, and Hill were all selected as All Stars for leading this club’s pitching dominance. Contrary to the position players, the pitching did not have much turnover from players leaving, meaning the pitching continued to be a huge factor in the back half of the season.

But, the surge on offense from Sonoma in the second half of the season helped secure their playoff spot and put the team on a five game winning streak heading into the postseason. Sonoma lost many offensive pieces in the middle of the season, as players left to prepare for college seasons. This tasked Zack Pace with fielding new players and gelling together a lineup to foster success. Players like Max Handron and DJ Scott were crucial in this, as their offensive additions helped thrust Sonoma into the playoffs. Amazingly, Ramos and Abel got even better in the second half, resulting in a very strong top of the order.

This offensive recipe of Ramos, Abel and Handron at the top helped put Sonoma on their five game winning streak which they pushed to six after their arguably best game when they toppled the SLO Blues 7-2 in the Wiild Card game. The Scott insertion was massive in that game, as he launched an electric grand slam to silence the packed Blues stadium.

The offensive effort stalled against the Walnut Creek Crawdads though, as the Stompers had two hits against the North Champions. But, that one game doesn’t define Sonoma’s season as they finished the regular season with 30 wins, and beat every team they played at least once. This is a major success for the Stomps, as there has been a significant turnaround in their time in the CCL.

In 2022, the Stompers were last in the CCL North and lost 30 games in total. After nearly missing the playoffs last season in the last week, Zack Pace has led his club to a complete 180, as they now have experienced playoff achievements. 

The Stompers season may have ended short of the ultimate goal, but it sets up a bright future for the club. The success will hopefully attract more elite talent to Sonoma, and this season could very well be a stepping stone for more playoff success in the coming years. Everyone apart of the Stompers organization, including the loyal fans, have been able to craft a club like no other. Strong collegiate talent, proven coaching, and an electric atmosphere at historic Arnold Field has made it a perfect destination for baseball.

As the players depart for the college seasons, we wish them good luck in all their endeavors and we hope to see you, the fans, next season for more Stompers baseball!