Stompers fall to Prune Packers in offensive showcase

Story written by Stompers intern Ryan Giacomini

Sonoma, CA

Today, the Healdsburg Prune Packers (1-1) traveled to Sonoma to take on the Sonoma Stompers (3-1). 

Both teams started early as the Stompers scored 7 runs in the bottom of the first including a 3-run home run from left fielder Tucker McEnroe. The Packers would respond instantly in the top of the second and score 7 of their own. Left fielder Jared Sundstrom would hit a three-run home run of his own in the rally to tie it up 7-7 after just two innings.

The Packers would tally on two more runs, one in the third and one in the fourth. The run in the fourth would come from another Sundstrom homerun, but this time a solo shot. After 4, the score was 9-7 in the Packers favor and it would remain that way until the sixth inning. 

From there, both teams would add three to their score in the sixth inning making it a 12-10 ball game. Third baseman Mikey Bell would drive in a run on a single for the Stompers while right fielder Braydon Runion would hit a three-run home run for the Packers. 

In the top of the ninth, the Packers would tack on two more making it a 4 run game and the Stompers have only three outs to respond. In the bottom of the ninth, the Stompers would score two runs, both while second baseman Max Handron was at the plate but in the end would fall short.

The Stompers will host the Lincoln Potters tomorrow at Arnold Field while the Prune Packers will host the San Francisco Seals at Recreation Park.

Stompers open up CCL play tonight

Story written by Stompers Intern Isaac Sullivan

SONOMA, CA

The Sonoma Stompers are coming off a 3-0 opening homestand this past week, striving to maintain their winning ways. Their most recent win was a commanding 7-0 win against the Petaluma Leghorns. The Stompers hammered their way to 13 hits. Their early offensive onslaught provided them with a 6-0 cushion, which they would never relinquish after just three innings. The win perfectly capped off a successful opening week.

Led by Max Handron with his .636 batting average, the Stompers were able to hit their way to a grand total of 20 runs through three games. The pitching side has also come out strong, as they have produced 40 strikeouts resulting in only two runs allowed so far. A balanced offense and defense has allowed the Stompers to achieve an impressive +18 run differential.

Starting tonight, the Stompers will begin CCL competition, when they host three more games at Arnold Field though Saturday. Sunday, they will play their first road game of the season.

Tonight, the Stompers face the Walnut Creek Crawdads, who finished their summer season last year with a record of 22-23. The pitching staff of the Stompers will be put to the test against the Crawdads as seven of their players finished last season with a .300 batting average or better.

Friday night, the Stompers will face the defending CCL Champion Healdsburg Prune Packers. The Packers open their season tonight against the Solano Mudcats after concluding last summer’s dominating season represented by a 45-7 record. The Stompers’ batters will have their hands full facing a pitching staff that frustrated and struck out 345 batters last year.

Saturday night, the Stompers will face the scorching Lincoln Potters, who are 7-1 on the season. With two home runs and two doubles on the season, the Stompers will have to be cautious when pitching to Dan Pruitt, who has also drawn nine walks.        

In their first road game of this season, the Stompers will travel to face the Solano Mudcats on Sunday. The Mudcats lost their opener 10-5, and are trying to move on from a disappointing 8-30 record last season that ended on a nine-game losing streak. They are 1-3 on the campaign to this point, falling 19-3 to the Walnut Creek Crawdads last night in their CCL opener.

After a few days off, with time to practice, the Stompers still hope to be undefeated at the end of this weekend. Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s games will be on Sonoma TV Comcast Channel 27 and the Sonoma Sompers YouTube page. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on the Sonoma Stompers radio network, with first pitch at 1:00pm.

Stompers win third straight with hitting outburst

SONOMA, CA

The Sonoma Stompers had an offensive outburst in the first three innings leading to their third straight win to open the 2022 season over the Petaluma Leghorns, 7-0. 

The first three Stompers reached to bring in a run thanks to Max Handron. He would go 4-5 to raise his season batting average to .636. Handon would come around to score on Connor Charpiot’s RBI single to give the Stompers a 2-0 lead.

Colton Lomanto was hit by a pitch in the second and would score on Castillo’s RBI double. Four pitches later, Handron singled him home to double the Stomper lead to 4-0.

In the third, there were more Stomper runs. Mikey Bell singled to start the rally, then stole second. Charpiot then singled him home to make it 5-0.

Two batters later, Christian Reynolds singled to score Charpiot and the Stompers were rolling early on, leading 6-0. 

After the three inning outburst, Stomper hitting was quelled thanks to the fantastic performance of Jake McCoy out of the bullpen for the Leghorns. He went four innings allowing just two hits, one run, walked one and struck out seven.

The one run McCoy did surrender was in the sixth when Bell doubled home Handron, who almost hit the ball out of the ballpark, to extend the lead to 7-0. 

The pitching was once again dominant for the navy and orange. Orlando Leon started and was fantastic. He went four innings allowing just one hit, one walk and struck out four. Eric Woodrow relieved him, going two innings and striking out four.

Charpiot ran into trouble but danced out of it through his two innings of work. In the eighth, he struck out the first batter he faced but he reached on a dropped third strike. Back to back walks loaded the bases. Charpiot would then strike out the side for a four strikeout inning.

Bell recorded the final two outs after walking a pair of batters.

The Stompers close out the weekend hosting the Menlo Park Legends Sunday night at 7:05pm at Arnold Field.

Stompers move to 2-0 with dominant victory over West Coast Kings

SONOMA, CA

The Sonoma Stompers moved to 2-0 to begin the 2022 season with a 9-1 victory over the West Coast Kings Friday night at Arnold Field.

Four run frames in the bottom of the fourth and bottom of the fifth proved to be the difference in the lopsided win.

The Stompers got a run in the first thanks to a wild pitch that scored Jackson Castillo who started the frame with a walk. 

The fourth and fifth innings were when the game broke open. Colton Lomanto and Eric Woodrow began the fourth by drawing walks. Connor Charpiot reached on an error by pitcher Jeff Werder. Aidan Lombardi drew a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 2-0. After a strikeout, Max Handron hit a sacrifice fly that scored Lomanto to make it 3-0 Stompers. Woodrow then scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 4-0.

Davis Cop recorded the Stompers first hit of the night that scored Lombardi to make it 5-0.

After the Kings got on the board in the top of the fifth, in the bottom half, Lomanto started things with a double. Woodrow and Charpiot walked to load the bases. Castillo drove in a pair with a two-run single to give the Stompers more breathing room at 7-1. A sacrifice fly and a wild pitch would score two more runs to make it 9-1 Stompers.

Stomper pitching was dominant once again. The staff consisting of Daniel Morehead, Maxx Castellucci, Brady Routon, Garrett James and Aidan Lombardi struck out 13 King hitters throughout the night. Castellucci earned the win with 1.1 innings pitched without allowing a hit and striking out one.

The Stompers will host the Petaluma Leghorns Saturday Night at Arnold Field at 6:05pm.

Stompers open up with 4-1 victory vs Seals

The Sonoma Stompers opened up the 2022 season with a dominant pitching performance defeating the San Francisco Seals 4-1 Thursday night at Arnold Field.

Stomper pitching struck out 15 batters in the process, with great pitching from starting pitcher Dan Smith and relievers Jack Cazin, Christian McInerney and Eric Woodrow. 

Smith got the start and ran into trouble early on. A pair of singles gave the Seals a 1-0 lead thanks to an RBI hit from Sam Brewer. That would be all the offense for the Seals.

Seals’ starting pitcher Will Seslar also got into trouble early on. He hit Dakota Duffalo in the head in the bottom of the first, and Max Handron began a 3-4 night with a single to right field. 

However, popouts of Davis Cop, Jackson Castillo and Jack Gallagher got him out of the jam.

The Stompers would break through in the fourth. A walk, wild pitch and a groundout moved Gallagher to third. An error by third baseman Derek Sims allowed him to score to tie the game at one.

The offensive approach in the fifth was patience and the Stompers certainly were. Mikey Bell doubled to lead off the frame and two batters later, Handron singled him home. Following a flyout, three straight two-out walks brought home two more Stomper runs to push the lead up to 4-1.

The Stompers would get runners on in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but were unsuccessful in pushing across a run.

Cazin got the win while Woodrow picked up the save.

The Stompers will host the West Coast Kings tomorrow night at 6:05pm at Arnold Field.

Stompers open up 2022 season tonight

SONOMA, CA

Tonight, the Sonoma Stompers open up the 2022 season and will make history while doing it. This will be the first collegiate game in franchise history after the team joined the California Collegiate League in October. 

The Stompers will host the San Francisco Seals out of the Bay Area Collegiate League tonight at 6:05pm at Arnold Field. 

When the first pitch is thrown tonight, it will mark the beginning of the team’s first game in 1,005 days. The last time the navy and orange took the field was game three of the 2019 Pacific Association Championship Series on September 1, 2019. The Stompers lost that game, 5-3, to the San Rafael Pacifics.

In six opening day contests, the Stompers are 3-3 all time since the organization’s genesis in 2014. In 2019, the Stompers fell to the Salina Stockade 9-5 on opening day.

​​Zack Pace is entering his third season as the Stompers manager. In his first season, he set a

single-season league record in wins, leading the Stompers to an overall record of 57-23 in 2019. Pace has a career record of 102-42 as the manager of the Stompers. Pace will be assisted by pitching coach Mike Nunes and bench coach Casey Gilroy.

Lots of fun events and activities are scheduled for opening day. Sonoma Mayor Jack Ding will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. Fans are encouraged to see the HenHouse Beer Garden and the Tree Fort Wine Lounge, as well as visiting our multiple food and beverage concession stands throughout the ballpark.

Tonight’s game will be televised on Sonoma TV Comcast, Channel 27, in Sonoma, as well as streamed live on the Sonoma Stompers YouTube page. Michael Baribault will have the call all season long on Sonoma TV and the Stompers YouTube page for home games. On the road, Baribault will be on the Sonoma Stompers radio network.

There are still plenty of tickets available for opening day. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to catch pregame festivities. Ballpark gates will open approximately 30 minutes prior to each home game. 
The Sonoma Stompers have a 46 game schedule. The CCL will host a North vs. South All Star game in July with league playoffs starting the first week of August. Purchase your Stompers tickets today!

Learn more about the California Collegiate League

SONOMA, CA

In October, the Stompers joined the California Collegiate League (CCL), a top ranked collegiate summer wood bat league. The league consists of eleven teams, six teams in Southern California and five teams in Northern California. 

Founded in 1993, the California Collegiate League is a premier college summer baseball destination. The league is associated with both the National Baseball Congress and National Alliance of College Summer Baseball.

The Southern Division consists of the MLB Academy Barons, Arroyo Seco Saints, Conejo Oaks, Orange County Riptide, San Luis Obispo Blues, Santa Barbara Foresters. The Blues and Foresters are the only two original teams that still call the CCL home. 

The Northern Division consists of the Healdsburg Prune Packers, Lincoln Potters, Solano Mudcats, Sonoma Stompers, Walnut Creek Crawdads.

The Stompers will take on three former CCL teams in the Novato Knicks, Menlo Park Legends and San Francisco Seals.

The Healdsburg Prune Packers are the defending CCL Champions. They are led by manager/GM Joey Gomes, who is a Petaluma native. The Stompers look forward to competing against the Prune Packers eight times this season and bringing fun baseball atmospheres to both Sonoma and Healdsburg!

The Lincoln Potters joined the CCL in 2019 and finished second in the North Division at 14-9 and 24-15-1. They play their home games at McBean Stadium and hosted last year’s CCL playoffs.

Last year, the Walnut Creek Crawdads rejoined the CCL following a three-year hiatus from the league. They play their home games at Monte Vista High School in Danville. 

The Solano Mudcats round out the CCL North. Once an established top semi-pro club, the Mudcats transitioned to a Collegiate Baseball organization in 2012. They joined the CCL in 2019. They will play their home games at Vanden High School.

Some notable CCL alumni are Chicago White Sox outfielder Andrew Vaughn, former Oakland Athletics outfielder Khris Davis, former starting pitcher James Shields and Colorado Rockies first baseman CJ Cron.

The Sonoma Stompers have a 46 game schedule. The CCL will host a North vs. South All Star game in July with league playoffs starting the first week of August. Purchase your Stompers tickets today!

Stompers announce Communtiy Night

SONOMA, CA

The Sonoma Stompers are proud to announce Community Night, presented by Bank of Marin! It will take place Saturday, June 4th when the Stompers host the Petaluma Leghorns at 6:05pm at Arnold Field. The Stompers will welcome a special guest that night, Adrian Palazuelos, Superintendent of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District. Palazuelos is excited to have baseball back in Sonoma and recognizes the importance of having the Stompers back on the field.

“It is very important that the youth and adult members of our community can come together safely to support the Stompers,” Palazuelos said. “The positive impact of being together and cheering on our hometown team is a unique feeling that many of us longed for during the early months of the pandemic when sports were not played.”

After a challenging last couple of school years, Palazuelos noted some of the challenges that came with distance learning and coming back to in-person learning during the school year.

“I would be remiss if I did not start by sharing my gratitude to all of our classified, certificated, and management staff who made the commitment to be with us through this year of transition during our return to in-person learning. The 2021-2022 school year has been a year of continued change as a result of the complexity in responding to the pandemic and the new challenges presented to us. We all learned a great deal about the importance that our schools play in the lives of our students,” Palazuelos noted.

Palazuelos continued to speak about the exciting new opportunities for SVUSD students next school year.

“I am excited about the future prospects of our school district and the changes that are already in process. During the 2022-2023 school year we will be introducing new curriculum in our schools (elementary history/social science and middle school English language arts), embarking on a robust Long Range Facilities Master Plan, the opening of the new aquatics complex at Sonoma Valley High School, and a number of other positive changes for our school district,” Palazuelos said.

All in all, Palazuelos is ecstatic to serve as Superintendent of Schools in Sonoma and has a positive outlook for the future.

“The Sonoma Valley USD schools mean opportunity, achievement, and excitement,” Palazuelos said. “I am more than thrilled to serve as the superintendent of this school district and look forward to continuing our collective work to support all students in reaching their individual success.”

Tim Meyers, the new CEO at Bank of Marin, will also be in attendance on Community Night. On November 1, 2021, Myers assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer. Myers has over two decades of experience in finance and banking — spanning small business, middle market and corporate banking. He began his banking career in 1998 and prior to joining Bank of Marin, he served as a Vice President, Commercial Banking Officer for U.S. Bank, National Association and Comerica Bank.

The Stompers look forward to having Palazuelos and Meyers join us at Arnold Field on Saturday for Community Night! For tickets, purchase them now!

Sonoma Fit is the Official Gym Partner of the Sonoma Stompers

SONOMA, Calif.-

The Sonoma Stompers are thrilled to announce SonomaFit as the Official Gym Partner of the

Sonoma Stompers.

SoFit currently serves the communities of Sonoma, Petaluma, and Novato with all three locations open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Soon, they will welcome San Rafael into their Sonoma Fit community. The San Rafael facility will be an upscale, boutique facility with EVERYTHING you need to get FIT and healthy.

SonomaFit is the preferred gym of the Sonoma Stompers and ideal for those looking to live a healthy lifestyle. Personal training and small group training classes are available with dynamic modalities not found in any other studio! SoFit gyms also include the most advanced machines and equipment such as squat racks, sleds, rowers, plyo boxes, free weights, TRX straps, and MORE!

The Stompers have an open-to-the-public Meet and Greet, May 31st 5PM-7PM at SonomaFit: 19310 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma, CA 95476. This event is proudly sponsored by Baker and Cook & Sonoma Springs Brewery. Tasty bites and beverages will be open to the public. Fans will also have an opportunity to participate in Raffle Prizes!

Mark your calendars for the Fourth of July Parade as the Stompers and SonomaFit look to win this year's best float award before the Stompers face off the Novato Knicks at 5:10PM!

Be sure to order your Fourth of July tickets before they sell out! The Tree Fort Wine Lounge and Friedman’s Home Improvement Diamond Level Seats are SOLD OUT! Available seating in the Grandstands and LF Pavilion still remain, but not for long! Bring a blanket to lay out in the outfield for post game fireworks!

Hey, guys! Welcome to the Stompers!

Stompers intern Brett Ghisletta contributed to this story.

As the Stompers continue to sign collegiate players for the 2022 season, we will continue to introduce them to you, the fans! Here’s more about three of our new players coming to Sonoma this summer.

Gavin Rognlien - Santa Clara University

Rognlein is a homegrown product from right here in Sonoma, CA. He attends Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, CA. 

In his career at Cardinal Newman, is a .306 hitter with four home runs, 24 RBI and 28 runs scored. He has a career OPS of .918.

Rognlein will be attending and playing at Santa Clara University this fall.

"I chose Santa Clara because the school can provide me with one of the top catholic educations in the country.  The incredible coaching staff and excitement around the program made it an easy choice," Rognlien said. "I also couldn't deny the opportunity to stay home and play in front of my friends and family."

Rognlein has received high praise from his future head coach at SCU, Rusty Filter.

"Gavin is a physical athlete who comes from two great programs in Cardinal Newman High and CBA travel club," Filter said.  "He has the ability to play all three outfield spots and add power to our lineup.  Gavin is an exciting addition to our program who will impact our outfield quickly."

Be sure to follow Gavin and the rest of his baseball season at Cardinal Newman before he plays for the hometown Stompers! The No. 1 seeded Cardinals will be hosting the CIF North Coast Section Division 3 Semi-Finals Tuesday vs No. 4 Campolindo.

Jacob Weiss - University of Pacific 

Weiss is from Atwater, CA and played his prep ball at Atwater High School. Now, he’s in his sophomore season for the Pacific Tigers.

Weiss was selected as a Second Team All-League catcher, County All Star and the team's Outstanding Hitter Award Winner in 2017 .In 2018, the right-hander won the Atwater High Gold Glove Award before collecting First Team All-League honors as a catcher while also earning the award for Outstanding Pitcher.

He is hitting .280 with seven home runs, 24 RBI and 20 runs scored so far this season.

Follow Jacob and the Tigers before he heads to Sonoma!

Michael Bell - Cal Poly SLO

Bell is originally from Fresno, CA and is playing his high school ball at San Joaquin Memorial High School. Bell is leading the Panthers to a 20-5 record at the moment. Bell was also the County/Metro Athleic Conferene Co-Offensive player of the year in football this past fall.

He is committed to Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo. According to PerfectGame.org, his average exit velocity was clocked in at 86 MPH. Bell will be a solid power hitter for the Mustangs next spring and the Stompers this summer!
Follow Michael the rest of the way in his high school career!

Noah Rabin - Santa Rosa Junior College

Noah Rabin has officially joined the Stompers. He will not be heading far, as he is currently playing ball at the Santa Rosa junior College. Rabin played at West County (then known as Analy) High School in Sebastopol, California. In his 48 varsity games played, he hit .298 with 27 RBI, 33 runs, and a fielding percentage of .899 including turning 12 total double plays. 

Rabin was impressive at the JC level this season. He finished the season with a .353 batting average with six home runs, 32 RBI, 17 doubles, and a 1.062 OPS. He also held a .828 fielding percentage. He played in all 41 games for his club. 

SRJC finished their season 25-16. Rabin will be joining multiple of his college teammates with the Stompers in June. We wish him well during his time in Sonoma!