Stompers rout Merchants 17-1, enter All-Star Break in 1st place in CCL North

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

After scoring 17 runs against the Legends on Saturday, the Stompers repeated and scored 17 more against the Merchants on Sunday to take sole possession of first place in the CCL North entering the league’s all-star break.

Fifteen-plus runs in one game may take luck. But against a stronger opponent and for the second straight night, it indicates much more than that. The Stompers’ offense has been shaky down the stretch, putting up two and three runs on Thursday and Friday against the Leghorns and Crawdads.

Then came demolition. Sonoma’s offense exploded for 17 runs Saturday against the Legends. While it took an 11-0 lead through three innings, Menlo Park clawed back to cut its deficit to as low as four, which ultimately resulted in a 17-13 win for the Stompers.

Sunday was more of the same. But the stakes were higher, and Sonoma’s pitchers turned to silencers to shut down the Merchants. With a convincing 17-1 win, the Stompers (25-15, 20-13) claim sole possession of first place in the CCL North heading into the league’s all-star break.

“They’ve done a good job of getting a good pitch to hit,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said postgame of his offense. “Yesterday, we had a lot of free passes that really helped us out. And today, we hit a little bit more.”

While the offense rolled through Ball State’s Jaden Bitter on the mound for Alameda, Jayden Harper cruised through his first five-inning outing of the summer. When Harper pitches, good things happen. It’s been displayed in the Stompers’ four wins prior to Sunday on Harper-bump days.

The one time Sonoma lost with Harper on the rubber, he allowed a run. If the Stompers wanted to stay hot entering the break, Harper would need to be nearly perfect. He did just that, but the first inning was a challenge.

Sitting with a three-run cushion, Harper had room to work. Colton Boardman had walked before Max Handron followed up his five-hit day on Saturday with a two-run home run to give Sonoma an early lead. McCann Libby — in his final game of the summer — then singled, and Heeryun Han drove him in with a base hit. 

In one instant, however, the lead looked like it’d disappear. After recording a quick out on Dominick Najar, Jack Bollengier singled, Jackson Nystrom walked and Aidan Taclas was hit by a pitch. Matteo Mendoza — who carried a .932 OPS and .320 batting average entering Sunday — was at the plate. But despite Mendoza’s statistics, Harper struck him out on five pitches.

Then, with Chase Ditmar up and one strike, the Merchants began to run. Shuffling his feet, Bollengier was gunned by catcher Connor Pawlowski at third, getting Harper out of the jam.

The last play fired up Sonoma’s offense. It added to its lead again with Boardman singling, Handron walking and Libby driving both in with his second base hit of the day. Paul Lizzul then singled, taking Bitter out of the game.

After a 1-2-3 inning from Harper, the Stompers stalled. Reliever Luke Giotta surrendered a leadoff single to Han but shut down Pawlowski, Trent Keys and Cam Hegamin. In the fourth, though, Sonoma saw a completely different Giotta.

He struggled to find his spots, working up his pitch count, and the Stompers pounced. After Boardman popped out, Handron singled — his third time reaching base. Lizzul was hit, and Brady Shannon continued his tear, annihilating a three-run home run to extend Sonoma’s lead and stand atop the CCL with five long balls.

“It’s huge to have that big threat in the middle of the order. He can be dangerous with any swing,” Pace said. “At any time, he can do that. It’s really good to get (Shannon) going.”

Nick Fenton replaced Giotta, but he wasn’t any better. Han recorded his third single. Pawlowski advanced him to third with another base hit. Keys then kept it going with a third straight knock to plate Han. Fenton’s faltered command allowed Pawlowski and Keys to steal home, giving the Stompers an 11-0 lead through four innings. 

Harper’s day was done after the fifth. Justin Jones, making just his fourth appearance of the summer, shut down Alameda with three strikeouts in the sixth. He struck out two more in the seventh, finishing with five Ks in two innings of work.

Chris Albee replaced Jones in the eighth and gave up the Merchants’ lone run of the day. Hayden Jung-Goldberg walked before Kaleb Latimer tripled to score him. But that was all Alameda would get, as its next two hitters were retired and Braden Guentz went 1-2-3 in the ninth to close things out.

While the Stompers’ staff excelled, their offense added more to the scoreboard. Hegamin singled in the sixth to score Shannon and Keys. Boardman then doubled to plate Hegamin, and Handron followed it up with a base hit to bring in Boardman — Sonoma’s 15th run of the game.

“He does a really good job of taking pitches that might be borderline pitches and just being on time to a pitch middle of the plate,” Pace said of Handron.

Sonoma hit through its order in the frame, scored one in the seventh on a Boardman base hit and one more in the eighth on a knock from Pawlowski. 

After losing three of their first four matchups against the Merchants, the Stompers have won the last three and take the season series. Now, they head into a weeklong break before taking on the Crawdads Friday.

“Really proud of our guys. We’re hitting the right buttons and playing our best,” Pace said. “Hopefully, we can keep it rolling into next weekend.”

Stompers survive offensive shootout with 17-13 win over Legends

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

The Stompers’ offense recorded 15 hits, 10 walks and seven hit-by-pitches, fueling their 17-13 victory over the Legends.

Complacency was a word echoed through Arnold Field Saturday. The Stompers were facing the Legends in their penultimate matchup before the All-Star break, and Sonoma had Menlo Park’s number. It led the season series 7-1 entering the final contest between the two squads.

But manager Zack Pace emphasized his squad couldn’t express contentment. To jump back up to first place in the CCL North, it’d need to keep its foot on the gas the entire game. In its two matchups against the Crawdads this week, it found itself clawing back from behind after allowing five and two runs in the first innings.

Both contests resulted in losses, dropping the Stompers from solely in first place to less than two games from not reaching the playoffs. With consistent success over the Legends all season, Saturday was a chance for Sonoma to get back on track.

“We’re playing baseball. We’re trying to do a good job today,” Pace said pregame. “Focus on ourselves. Hopefully, we just stay in the moment and stay locked in on every pitch.”

Four hours and four minutes after Pace’s sentiment, the Stompers (24-15, 19-13 CCL) returned to the win column. Twenty-four hits, 13 pitchers and 71 at-bats later, Sonoma found itself ahead 17-13 when Devon Laguinto recorded the final out.

“We did a good job of winning our at-bats and keeping the line moving,” Pace said postgame. “We took what (Menlo Park) gave us and strung it together.”

Right from the get-go, it looked like the Stompers’ bats would be the game’s storyline. Nick Santivanez was on the mound for Sonoma, but after shutting down the Legends’ first three hitters, the Stompers’ offense exploded.

Hit-by-pitches have been a hot commodity in Sonoma all summer. The Stompers have been hit 95 times. Next up in the CCL is the Merchants, who have been beaned just 56 times. At first, it meant free base runners for the orange and blue. Now, it’s putting Sonoma’s lineup at risk.

In that fashion, Colton Boardman led off the first inning by getting hit on the second pitch from UCSB’s Paul Wheeler. Max Handron singled to push Boardman to third, and McCann Libby walked to load the bases.

What followed for the Stompers was a mix of highs and lows. Matthias Haas fouled a ball off his hand. He never returned to the game. After Brady Shannon singled to score two runs and continue to pace the lineup in RBIs, Anthony Scheppler was hit in the back. Pace was livid.

“We got guys dropping. They’re getting hurt from these things,” Pace said. “I had to stand up for them. If you’re still hurting our guys, you gotta throw outside. You can’t throw inside if you can’t control it.”

Pace went to speak with home plate umpire John Pierce, but the situation didn't change. The next batter, Heeryun Han, was hit. Will Marlin replaced Wheeler, but Sonoma added three runs off him, bringing its first-inning run total to eight.

Santivanez stayed in control, and when the Stompers came back to the plate, they kept punishing Menlo Park’s mistakes. Trent Keys — who leads Sonoma with 17 hit-by-pitches — was nailed. Esteban Sepulveda also succumbed to the trend, this time with the bases juiced to score a run.

“We’re ball magnets out there,” Pace joked.

The third inning saw the Stompers’ lead continue to grow. Handron led off with a single and moved to second when Paul Lizzul walked. A wild pitch advanced them both 90 feet, and the UC Berkeley senior scored on Shannon’s sacrifice fly to left field. Han then singled to score Lizzul but ended the inning when he tried to stretch it into a double.

An 11-0 lead indicated dominance. Lopsidedness. Over an hour had passed, and Menlo Park had already used three arms. Then, the Legends began to mount a comeback.

In the top of the fourth, Santivanez walked the first two batters. Will Anderson cranked a home run to left field to cut Menlo Park’s deficit to eight. Jaden Mason replaced Santivanez but wasn’t much better.

He allowed two singles and a run scored on a fielding error by Libby in left field. Mason then threw a ball Sepulveda couldn’t handle, which plated another to cut the lead to six.

For the first time after the Legends’ five-spot, Sonoma didn’t score. But in the fifth, after Keys was hit for the second time, Han doubled to drive him home. The Stompers hadn’t lost a seven-run lead all season, yet each time Menlo Park was up, it looked more and more likely.

The following frame saw Quincy Via double and Charlie Deggeller walk off Kyle Seo. Mitchell Birdsall then smoked his first home run of the summer over the left field trees. But Sonoma kept fighting. It added five more in the bottom half when Boardman, Handron and Lizzul singled.

“I don’t really change much when I go up there,” Handron said postgame following his eventual five-hit performance. “I just see the baseball and put a move on it.”

After the three base hits, Shannon drove them in with a three-run home run, his third long ball in six games.

The lead was built, but Menlo Park responded with five of its own. Ryan Seo faced five batters, allowed four runs and didn’t record an out. He was replaced by catcher Connor Pawlowksi, who escaped the inning after giving up just one base hit and a run.

Three hours had passed. But all at once, both offenses came to a halt. The Stompers went with Luke Duncan and Laguinto on the bump to close out the game. Duncan allowed a double in the eighth but struck out three. Laguinto recorded two Ks and went 1-2-3 in the ninth to seal the victory.

With the win, Sonoma returns to first place in the CCL North, where it’s currently tied with the Merchants. Therefore, the stakes on Sunday are massive as the Stompers travel to Alameda College for the season series rubber match.

“You never know (what’s gonna happen) in this game after tonight,” Pace said.

Sonoma’s bats stay quiet in costly 8-3 loss to Crawdads

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Heeryun Han relieved David Howard Friday and gave up his first earned run of the season in the third inning. But that was the only damage, as the Los Medanos two-way star pitched 3.1 frames and struck out four.

Stompers manager Zack Pace and his staff are still searching for the key to unlock their offense against the Crawdads. Since its season-series opener on June 22, Sonoma’s been on a steady decline. It took Game 1, lost Game 2 and 3 and bounced back in Game 4. But entering Friday, the Stompers were on the wrong end of the stick.

On Wednesday, Sonoma headed to Monte Vista High School for an evening matchup with Walnut Creek. Devon Laguinto — who pitched a complete game shutout on July 1 — allowed five runs in the first inning. The crooked number put the Stompers out of reach, as they fell 11-8.

With just 0.5 games separating the two squads in the CCL North standings, the stakes on Friday were higher than ever. Two left-handed pitchers received the starts, and the Stompers were looking to even the series again.

However, struggles with first-inning control, poor plate approach and slow adjustments plagued Sonoma (23-15, 18-13 CCL) in its 8-3 loss. Walnut Creek plated two runs in the first, and the Stompers couldn’t climb back, tallying just four hits while striking out nine times.

“It definitely is a tougher start for our guys. Every inning (Walnut Creek) scored today, we walked the leadoff hitter, and we can’t do that,” Pace said postgame. “We gotta do a better job of filling up the zone and being ready to go.”

On Thursday, Sonoma faced a younger Petaluma Leghorns team whose pitchers were throwing low to mid-80s. While five Stompers struck out multiple times, Brady Shannon’s third-inning three-run home run was enough for the victory.

Friday was an adjustment. Colin Nowaczyk — a flamethrower from Nebraska — was tossing low 90s. He was forcing Sonoma’s bats late, and it took time for them to catch up. But first, on Sonoma’s side of the bump was David Howard.

The Sonoma State southpaw came out and struggled, allowing all six batters in the first to work the count to three balls. Ryan Ellis and Cam Calvillo walked and both entered scoring position on a wild pitch. A base hit by shortstop Jared Mettam plated one before first baseman John Youens singled to score another.

Howard escaped the rest of the inning unscathed, but the damage was done. Back to Nowaczyk, the bats stalled. Colton Boardman grounded out, Max Handron was punched out and McCann Libby softly lined out to short. It was a sub-five-minute inning, and the message was demoralizing.

“We just gotta do a better job of taking quality at-bats,” Pace said. “We gotta find a way to grind it out a little bit more and have a little tougher at-bats… and be a pest up there.”

As Howard pitched a 1-2-3 inning, so did Nowaczyk. Two Stompers struck out, and the Crawdads made them pay next time around. When Ellis was hit by a pitch, the rally had just begun. Calvillo reached on a fielder’s choice, and a double from Joey Donnelly brought him to third.

Mettam plated two on a single, ending Howard’s day with five runs surrendered in 2.2 innings.  The replacement on the mound was Los Medanos’ two-way star Heeryun Han. Entering the matchup, Han had yet to allow an earned run.

That quickly changed, as the sidearm pitcher hit Zach Justice and walked Kam Taylor. Chris Esquivel singled past the outstretched dive of third baseman Handron, and two runs came home.

Finally, Sonoma answered back. Trent Keys and Cam Hegamin reached on free passes. Then, for the first time all season, the Stompers swung at the first pitch in three straight at-bats, and it paid off tremendously. Boardman pushed Keys to third on a fielder’s choice. Handron doubled down the left field line to score both Keys and Boardman. Libby then forced an error from Mettam.

“When you have runners on, you want to be a little bit more aggressive,” Pace said. “You want to get your swings off. We wanna get our hacks in and try to get our RBIs. That’s what they were trying to do there.”

Sonoma’s deficit was down to four, an attainable comeback if its bats repeated Wednesday, constantly applying pressure to Walnut Creek’s staff. But they did no such thing. The Stompers added three hits over the final six innings.

Meanwhile, Han continued to deal, and Micah Marquez relieved him with two innings of shutout ball. However, the lineup was heavy, going down in order in the sixth and seventh, even with two new pitchers.

Fast forward to the ninth, Patrick Richardson replaced Marquez. He got a quick strikeout before giving up a double and a walk. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position, and another wild pitch scored one. Mettam — who finished with three hits — ended Walnut Creek’s scoring run with a single to plate one more, giving it an 8-2 lead.

It was far too late for Sonoma’s stagnant offense to come back. But its little life shone through. Matthias Haas and Connor Pawlowski were put away on seven pitches. Yet with the entrance of Anthony Scheppler — who committed to San José State on Thursday — runners began to reach base.

Halen Guerrero surrendered just three walks in 7.2 innings prior to Friday. Yet Scheppler, Esteban Sepulveda, Boardman and Handron all walked, bringing Libby to the plate. If he had taken from Guerrero until a strike was thrown, maybe good things could’ve happened.

But despite Guerrero’s command issues, the Louisiana Tech second baseman swung at the second pitch of the at-bat and grounded a ball to Mettam at shortstop to end the game.

“I think we’ll be all right. We’ve got a great team, and our guys are grinders,” Pace said. “We’ll get better tomorrow and find a way to get back on the winning streak.”

Shannon’s 3-run blast breaks tie, powers Stompers past Leghorns 3-2

The Stompers and Leghorns were scoreless until YSU senior Brady Shannon crushed a 341-foot, 3-run homer in the third to power Sonoma to victory.

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

The Stompers were fooled at the beginning of their season. They’d recruited a highly-touted prospect in Brady Shannon. The Youngstown, Ohio, native received attention from MLB teams during his time at Ursuline High School.

He ultimately chose a different route and ended up in Sonoma for summer ball after his junior year at YSU. Expectations were sky-high, as he brings a powerful bat and leadership from being a Division I quarterback. However, Shannon crumbled early on.

He opened the season 0-for-9. His emphatic energy translated into four strikeouts in his first two games. But since then, he’s found his stride. Shannon’s pop has emerged; he’s hitting well over .200, and his OPS ranks third on the team (.813). As of late, Shannon’s turned it up another notch.

Courtesy of his three-run home run in the third inning of Thursday’s non-league matchup with the Leghorns, the Stompers (23-14, 18-12 CCL) scraped by with a 3-2 win. Sonoma’s offense tallied a measly six hits while facing pitchers throwing mid-80s, but one swing from Shannon was all that was needed.

“I think the game just comes and goes sometimes. I’m just trying to slow the game down and have more quality at-bats,” Shannon said postgame. “It’s just baseball.”

The Penguins’ slugger’s third-inning home run marked his second straight game with a long ball. On Wednesday against the Crawdads, Shannon cracked a two-run shot and an RBI double. He now has six hits in his last four games.

Petaluma starter Jack Gurley was dealing heading into the third inning. After surrendering a leadoff double to Heeryun Han in the first, Anthony Scheppler, Shannon and Matthias Haas all went down on strikes. In the second, Gurley’s showing was even more impressive. It took under two minutes for the Santa Barbara City College commit to retire Esteban Sepulveda, Ben Sebastiani and Cam Hegamin.

But after Scheppler’s line-drive single with one out in the following frame, Sonoma’s floodgates opened. Paul Lizzul advanced Scheppler to third on a base hit of his own, and Shannon strolled to the plate. Sitting on Gurley’s offspeed, he roped a 341-foot flyball into left field to break the deadlock.

“He’s seeing the ball a lot better and putting really good swings out there,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said postgame. “I know he’s been working really hard to get there. If we didn’t have that (home run) today, we don’t win.”

While Shannon’s nuke provided the Stompers with a tiebreaker plus insurance, Brandon Leon was holding his own anyway. The Modesto Junior College freshman struck out seven batters in his four innings.

Leon allowed a scorched single to left field to open the game, but he settled in after that. He picked off Rowan Ball after the base hit and breezed through the rest of the first. The right-handed pitcher went 1-2-3 in the next two innings and nearly repeated in the fourth, just giving up a single to Auggie Cuneo — one of Leon’s two hits allowed.

“He filled up the zone with his fastball and slider. I thought he did an outstanding job,” Pace said. “Really got a groove, and I look forward to more out of him next week.”

When the Stompers score three, their momentum often continues. But when Matthew Knauer relieved Gurley, everything came to a halt. Knauer was throwing slightly faster. His command was momentous, and his low arm slot caught Sonoma’s hitters off guard.

At first, the UCLA commit faltered, hitting Han and Scheppler. But with Hegamin and McCann Libby strikeouts, and Scheppler getting gunned at second, Knauer held the Stompers silent.

His next time out was even more imposing. The recent graduate of Redwood High School forced Lizzul to pop out. Shannon and Haas struck out — two of Knauer’s seven Ks.

The middle innings were an ache for the Stompers. Knauer finished with four no-hit innings while walking just one batter and hitting two.

“We gotta get better. That’s the bottom line,” Pace said. “We gotta be on time to the fastball. If we’re not catching up to 83 or 85, that’s not good.”

The Leghorns scored two in the fifth on a wild pitch from Jaxen Rowland and a single by Henry Stoll. But that was all they’d get. Rowland, Nick Poulus and Patrick Atkinson pitched five innings of relief to close out the win. And with just 10 CCL games to play, everything’s on the line.

“It’s that time of the summer. Bodies are tired. Some guys are banged up,” Shannon said. “But that last 10-game stretch is big. I think we’re on the right path to be where we want at the end of the season.”

Stompers allow season-high 11 runs in defeat against Crawdads

The Stompers couldn’t climb out of a five-run first-inning hole, leading to their defeat against the Crawdads Wednesday.

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Last time Devon Laguinto took the mound, he delivered a standout performance for the Stompers. The right-handed pitcher tossed a three-hit, 10-strikeout complete game shutout to boost them over the Legends. Laguinto had been a workhorse, pitching five-plus innings in three of his last four starts entering Wednesday.

But manager Zack Pace wanted to give him a less intense day against the Crawdads. He said Laguinto would most likely pitch between three and four innings, with Cole Pacheco, Harun Pelja and Christian Klostermann slotted in relief. And while that did happen, it didn’t go according to plan.

Behind a dud from Sonoma’s (22-14, 18-12 CCL) pitching staff, Walnut Creek reclaimed first place in the CCL North with an 11-8 victory. Laguinto pitched a season-low two innings while tying a season high in runs allowed (five). Pacheco and Pelja weren’t much better, surrendering four runs in the middle 4.2 innings.

“We were going with them no matter what,” Pace said postgame of his staff. “We needed to eat up the innings, and we didn’t really have anyone else.”

In the current portion of Sonoma’s schedule, every game’s a battle for a top playoff seed. On Tuesday versus Alameda, the Stompers took the first-place spot. Wednesday saw them fall. The Crawdads and Merchants are always going to give Sonoma some trouble, and the latest incident was on Wednesday.

Right from the first inning, the Stompers fell into a hole. After Colton Boardman, Max Handron and McCann Libby were set away in order, Laguinto forced Trey Johnson to fly out. From there, though, Brady Wilson walked before making a trip around the bases after hits from Joey Donnelly and John Youens.

Another walk loaded the bases for the Crawdads, and Ryley Leininger’s single, mixed with an error by Cameron Hegamin, plated two more runs. Boardman followed his defensive performance on Tuesday — which saw a first-inning mistake — with one on Wednesday. Brandon Clizbe and Leininger scored on the play.

“I just told our guys to take their time a little bit more. We don’t need to do too much on anything,” Pace said. “Make the routine play. Take those outs when (the Crawdads) give it to us.”

With the offensive outburst over, Sonoma added one run back. In the third, Trent Keys and Hegamin walked, while Keys advanced to third on a flyout from Boardman. Handron then knocked a single to send Hegamin to second and score Keys, cutting the deficit.

But it wouldn’t last long. Pacheco toed the rubber in the bottom half and gave up a double to Leininger — the second of his three hits — on his second pitch. Leininger advanced to third on a wild pitch, and chaos ensued.

Pacheco hit a batter and walked one more before recording an out. He gave up just two hits in the inning, but three runs crossed home courtesy of another wild pitch and extended miscues. The 8-1 score indicated defeat, yet the Stompers didn’t bow out.

They scored four runs over their next two times up. Brady Shannon roped a double to drive in Matthias Haas, and a Keys single scored Shannon. Then, Paul Lizzul displayed his clutch factor — similar to his game-winning home run on Tuesday — with an RBI double to send in Libby. To close the scoring barrage, Haas singled, and the deficit became four (9-5).

Sonoma persisted through challenge after challenge. However, a two-spot for Walnut Creek in the seventh was a step in the wrong direction. Pelja’s used to opening games, but his middle-inning experience posed a new challenge.

He hit a batter, gave up a base hit and a run came home on an error by Lizzul. A wild pitch capped off the rough stretch. The game looked all but decided, but the Stompers had a little gas remaining.

In the eighth, Connor Pawlowski singled and Shannon drove him in with a two-run home run — his third of the summer. An error by Leininger brought Keys from first to third, and he scored too on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Ben Sebastiani.

But that was all that was left in the tank. Klostermann pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, while Libby, Lizzul and Haas were all retired to end the contest.

“We just gotta keep on working at it and try to get better each day,” Pace said. “Just gotta show up tomorrow, put our hard hats on and get going again.”

3-1 win over Merchants boosts Stompers to 1st place in CCL North

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

After making an error in the top of the sixth, Paul Lizzul crushed a two-run home run 356 feet in the bottom half to reclaim the Stompers’ lead they never relinquished.

With 11 games remaining in the Stompers’ season, they’re in their best position yet. Tuesday’s matchup is the reason why. The Crawdads were the CCL North’s heavyweight team in 2024. They made it to the championship before falling to the Oaks.

This year, Walnut Creek has once again put on a clinic, leading the league in the standings for much of the season. Sonoma’s been floating around the third-place mark, but on Tuesday, it faced the Merchants, who swept in and had taken first place from the Crawdads.

Things were all knotted up. Walnut Creek and Alameda sat one game ahead of the Stompers. Now, Sonoma holds the crown. In claiming their third straight win with a 3-1 victory over the Merchants, the Stompers (22-13, 18-11 CCL) took first place in the CCL North for the first time this season.

“We tell our guys every day’s a big game,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said humbly pregame. “Today’s not any different than any other day. It’s just about going with the same mindset we have every single time.”

Pace strongly emphasizes “winning the week.” As long as the Stompers can do that each time they come out to Arnold Field, Pace knows they’ll be in a good spot come the end of the season. Sonoma’s won the last four weeks. Tuesday’s contest with Alameda was a key step to No. 5.

Defensively, the Stompers came out with little discipline. Colton Boardman booted a ball in the first inning, and uncertainty surrounded Shawn McBroom, who pitched against the same Merchants team on July 2 and allowed three runs in 2.1 innings.

Boardman’s error was a sign of bad things to come, as he’s been one of the Stompers’ defensive pacesetters. And while it wasn’t even close to his fault, Sonoma followed in his direction and ended with five errors.

“I told the (team) we need to clean that up. We need to do a better job with that,” Pace said postgame. “Our guys work harder than anyone. They’re out there every day. It’s hard to fault their effort.”

Even with the miscues in the field, McBroom worked around them to complete a four-inning masterclass. After escaping a two-runner jam in the first inning, McBroom retired the side in order in the following frame. 

In the third, Aidan Taclas singled to left field and reached second on another error, this one by Trent Keys. But McBroom again held down the fort. McBroom capped his outing with a 14-pitch fourth inning, in which Angelo Luna, Chase Ditmar and Fabian Gomez were all punched on strikes.

“He really finished strong with those three strikeouts and really helped us to a good start to the week,” Pace said of McBroom. “He had all three pitches thrown for strikes. Really just filling up the zone and keeping hitters off balance, he did a great job.”

Offensively, Sonoma stalled. Its defense brought it down, and it struggled to find ways to crack Merchants’ starter Jaden Bitter. In the fifth, though, the Stompers got on the board. As seen in prior innings, Sonoma was quickly in a two-out situation. Keys and Luke Duncan struck out. But Cameron Hegamin brought life.

He was hit by a pitch and immediately stole second on Boardman’s at-bat. On a passed ball, Hegamin reached third, and all of a sudden, Boardman redeemed himself from his early error with a bloop single into centerfield to put the Stompers in front.

Kyle Seo relieved his brother Ryan and allowed Alameda to tie the game on a laser sacrifice fly lined to right field. Brady Shannon used his Division I-quarterback arm to try and gun Taclas at the plate, but it bounced in just late.

Kyle’s surrendered run wouldn’t have happened without an error. Duncan threw a ball into the ground when Taclas began to run, and he reached third when it skirted into center field. After meaningless mistakes, one of them finally came back to bite Sonoma.

But it quickly bounced back. After Taclas scored, a pop-up was hit to Paul Lizzul at first base. He dropped the rock, and a runner reached base. Lizzul expressed visual frustration, but he shoved it away during his at-bat in the bottom half.

McCann Libby had just singled. Lizzul was in the cleanup slot. He had a chance to right his previous wrong, and after one foul, he pimped an offering from reliever Nick Fenton 356 feet over the right-center field fence to reclaim the Stompers’ lead.

“I’m just thinking a top half approach. Really trying to create good bat speed, and I think it’s been working,” Lizzul said postgame. “I went up there looking for offspeed. He threw a chageup, and the rest is history.”

Lizzul’s home run was the icing on the cake. A cake that Sonoma’s been hungry for all season. Just to be sure, though, Heeryun Han and Braden Guentz combined to throw three scoreless innings to seal the Stompers’ victory.

Handron, Shannon go deep as Stompers roll past Seagulls 18-2

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Max Handron brought a calm and consistent bat to Cal Berkeley’s offense. In 149 games with the Golden Bears, Handron started 137 and hit 24 home runs alongside 90 RBIs. He defied the odds, especially during his time at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he hit .306 across two seasons.

Since 2022, Handron has done the same with the Stompers. He’s been a reliable piece to Sonoma’s offense and brings life to its offense that’s sometimes stalled in his absence over the last two weeks. 

In the third inning of the Stompers’ Sunday matchup with the Seagulls, Handron came to the plate. There were two outs, and Sonoma held a firm 6-0 lead. Colton Boardman was on first base, Kieran Baker was on second and Esteban Sepulveda stood on third.

On the first pitch to Handron from newly entered reliever Rhys Appleby, the left-handed hitter smoked a line drive over the right field fence to give the Stompers a double-digit lead. Handron’s grand slam — which counted for his first home run of the summer — put Sonoma (21-13, 17-11 CCL) out of reach, as it went on to rout San Francisco 18-2.

Max Handron’s third-inning grand slam in Sunday’s matchup against the Seagulls gave the Stompers a commanding 10–0 lead, effectively putting the game out of reach.

“I’m really proud of our guys for the way they battle,” Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame. “They just keep on grinding every day. They’re working their tails off to get better and it shows. I thought we had a really good approach today, and our pitchers did an outstanding job.”

Speaking of Sonoma’s pitching, Handron wasn’t the only one who made a significant impact. After nearly three weeks off in mid-June, Jayden Harper returned to the mound for the Stompers on June 28. Then, he willed them to a 10-5 win over the first-place Crawdads. On Sunday, his stuff took over again.

After the Stompers scored two in the first inning, Harper kept them in front with a quick four-batter inning, just allowing a leadoff single to Josh Hanson. Hanson’s base hit would turn out to be Harper’s only hit allowed, as he struck out six batters and walked just one in four innings of work.

But what made Harper’s outing even more magnificent was his immaculate inning, which came in the second. The left-handed pitcher fanned Justin Sechler on three straight swinging strikes before doing the same to Finn Whalen. Derek Waldvogel went to the dish, but he had no luck either, also falling on three consecutive pitches.

“I think that’s the first one I’ve seen,” Pace said of Harper’s immaculate inning. “That was a pretty cool thing to see. (Harper) did a great job today. Filled it up. Four quality innings. He’s a great arm for us.”

As Harper, Jaden Mason, Christian Klostermann and Justin Jones held it down on the bump, the offense continued to spark. While Handron’s longball marked a turning point in the early innings, Brady Shannon nearly hit for the cycle.

He led off the second inning with a single after battling through 10 pitches. In the third, he added a punch before Handron’s grand slam with a two-run shot of his own. The fourth saw him walk; he tripled in the fifth, which became his last time reaching base.

“It was really good out of him today. He was squaring up balls,” Pace said of Shannon. “I was really happy to see him get back on track. Hopefully, now he gets rolling a little bit.”

Entering Sunday, Esteban Sepulveda was 2-for-21 as of late. He added to Shannon and Handron’s fun with three knocks in four at-bats, also walking twice as a part of the Stompers’ 13 free passes.

With Sonoma’s offense clicking and its pitching dominating, the Seagulls weren’t fighting for a win anymore. They were pushing for their loss to look less painful. And while they scored twice in the seventh behind a Jordan Maske triple and wild pitch, it doesn’t take away the dominance the Stompers showed.

They had six hitters with two-plus hits. They struck out 13 batters. They made just one error. And they tallied 15 total hits, lifting them to a promising second half of their season with four straight weeks won.

“(All games) are big ones, and that’s what we preach to these guys every day,” Pace said. “It’s just about showing up with that same attitude, ready to win.”

Stompers cruise past Merchants 9-2 behind 3-run 3rd inning and Santivanez’s start

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Behind a three-run third inning and another efficient outing from right-hander Nick Santivanez, the Stompers (20-13, 16-11 CCL) closed out their holiday weekend homestand with a 9-2 win over the Merchants on Saturday night at Arnold Field.

Sonoma’s offense exploded for nine hits and drew 11 walks, punishing an Alameda pitching staff that struggled to find the zone all evening. Sonoma has now scored 23 runs over its last two games and continues to surge in the CCL North standings.

“Getting back on the win streak against (Alameda feels good),” Stompers manager Zack Pace said postgame. “It was definitely a good win. A really good crowd out here, and good to (see) tonight.”

The turning point came in the third inning. With the game sitting scoreless, Connor Pawlowski reached third after a single and a few Merchants’ miscues. Max Handron delivered an RBI single, and Pawlowski came home. By the time the inning ended, the Stompers had built a 3-0 cushion, courtesy of a Paul Lizzul double and a McCann Libby base hit.

The following inning, Pawlowski was plated again after reliever Dominic Cristinzio made an error. Control was extended for Sonoma, and it would only get larger. Trent Keys started the sixth with a walk, followed by Anthony Scheppler and Pawlowski reaching the same way.

Staying true to the trend, Ben Sebastiani walked to plate Keys, before Colton Boardman was hit by a pitch to score another. The lead grew to 6-1, and in the seventh, Keys, Scheppler and Pawlowski put the finishing touch on the win with three more runs.

“They gave us a lot of free passes, which really helped us out,” Pace said. “I was really proud of our guys with their approach. They did a good job of taking what the other guys were gonna give us.”

On the mound, Santivanez stayed strong with five innings of one-run ball. A complete relief effort was then showcased with Heeryun Han, Luke Duncan, Harun Pelja and Braden Guentz each pitching one inning, while Pelja gave up Alameda’s only other run.

The win improves the Stompers to 16-11 on the season, while the Merchants fall to 12-7. Jayden Harper will be on the mound Sunday against the Seagulls, looking to build on Sonoma’s renewed rhythm.

Stompers celebrate 4th of July with 14-7 win over Knicks

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

Few things pair better in life than America’s pastime and the Fourth of July, especially nestled in Wine Country. It’s festive, fun and displays the tight-knit community Sonoma possesses. The Stompers only add to that.

The Stompers exploded for 10 runs in the first three innings en route to their 14-7 win on Friday.

They walk in Sonoma’s annual July 4 parade. And nothing beats a win a few hours later. On Friday, the Stompers got it done, capping a magical holiday.

Carried by 10 runs in the first three innings, Sonoma (19-13, 15-11 CCL) defeated the Novato Knicks 14-7. It wasn’t a league game, but the Stompers came out hot and never looked back.

“We had good plate appearances, and some guys swung the stick pretty well,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said postgame. “We’ll take it (going forward).”

When the box score shows an explosion of early offense like Friday’s did, it’s usually a sign of a team locked in. After Thursday’s surprising loss to the Seagulls, though, it wasn’t expected. The Stompers strung together timely hits, capitalized on Novato’s miscues and brought energy to the Arnold Field crowd.

Names that hadn’t been as notable stepped up, showcasing the depth the Stompers have. It began almost right away. Anthony Scheppler — who’s struggled as of late — cracked his first home run of the summer. The moment was significant, but the result was even more so. Scheppler’s knock was a grand slam and immediately put Sonoma in the driver’s seat.

After Jaxen Rowland surrendered three runs in the top of the second, the Stompers' offense picked up where it left off. Cameron Hegamin singled — one of his three hits in the matchup — to plate Heeryun Han.

The following frame, Ben Sebastiani joined the party with a three-run home run — his first of the summer — right after Trevor Schlafer added two more with a base hit.

“Both (Anthony and Ben) have been working their tails off and getting better,” Pace said. “I see it every day. It was really good to see them get the results today, and hopefully that can continue.”

A 10-4 lead was similar to Sonoma’s final scores. Only through three innings, though, more was definitely set to come. And while it took time, the Stompers put Novato out of reach in the seventh and eighth.

After Nicholas Poulus allowed a three-run sixth inning for the Knicks, which brought them within three runs, Paul Lizzul and Esteban Sepulveda nearly erased the comeback effort with a fielder’s choice and an RBI double.

Now up five in the eighth, Lizzul mashed an RBI double to score Sebastiani, and Scheppler walked with the bases loaded to bring in Han for run No. 14. From there, Patrick Atkinson pitched a scoreless ninth inning in his first outing since May 28 to seal the win.

Seagulls earn revenge with 6-4 win over Stompers

By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer

For Sonoma, it was a regular game. For San Francisco, it was a matter of revenge. The Stompers had won the last two games in the teams’ season series. One was 14-3 dominance. The other was nearly a repeat, a 14-0 win one day later.

The Seagulls weren’t just hungry. They were relentless, finding ways to defeat Sonoma in any way they could. Would it be from pitching? From offense? For San Francisco, it was from both. The Seagulls outhit Sonoma by three. The notched more double plays. They found ways to win in all facets of the game.

For the Stompers (18-13, 15-11 CCL), it was a 6-4 defeat. For San Francisco, it was a step in the right direction. One that was highly significant in the Seagulls’ now 6-18 league record. 

“Our hitters were caring too much about the results,” Sonoma manager Zack Pace said postgame. “We gotta try not to care so much about the results and care more about the process.”

The Stompers have been quiet on offense lately. After recent wins over the Crawdads and Legends, the Seagulls gave Sonoma problems. An early lead has been the answer to most of the Stompers’ issues. On Thursday, it wasn't.

In the first inning, Sonoma jumped ahead. Trent Keys grounded out to score Cameron Hegamin. McCann Libby then reached on an error to plate Nic Sebastiani. The 2-0 lead was comforting, especially with David Howard — whose birthday was Thursday — on the mound.

Howard’s been a flame thrower, not allowing an earned run since June 6. In that loss, Howard’s opponent hit .231. Since then, his opposition has hit a measly .171. Howard looked to stay hot on Thursday. Unfortunately for the Stompers, his consistency lacked.

Lifted by a sacrifice fly from Mac Galvin and a single from Ben Coke, San Francisco bounced back and tied things up. Even with Sonoma once in front, it was all the Seagulls from there. Josh Hanson blasted a two-run home run off of newly-acquired Cal Amborn on the mound.

The two-run lead wasn’t too decisive, but in the seventh, Coke doubled to add to San Francisco’s lead. Galvin and Derek Waldvogel were sent to the plate to extend it to four.

With little life left, the Stompers attempted to come back. Colton Boardman walked to score Esteban Sepulveda in the ninth. Keys plated Trevor Schlafer soon after to cut the lead in half. But it was far too little to jump ahead and end victorious.

“We’re gonna be where we need to be,” Pace said. “We need to flush it because baseball, if you’re gonna play in this game, you’re gonna grind yourself out, and we have to flush today’s loss.”