Windsor to host No. 3 Tamalpais in playoff opener
The Jaguars will start the final phase of the 2019 varsity baseball campaign this week, representing the No. 14 seed in the 16-team North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs.
At press time Windsor (15-7-1) was preparing to host No. 3 seeded Tamalpais in the NCS opener on Wednesday, May 15 (5 p.m.), with the winner advancing to face the survivor of the No. 6 Sir Francis Drake versus No. 11 Alameda game on May 18 (location TBD).
The Jaguars landed a first-round home game by virtue of being league champions, a welcome result that could be a big factor in their NCS fortunes.
“From everything I’ve seen and everyone I’ve talked to, Tamalpais is a very sound team,” Jag’s coach Dave Avila said. “They play in a very tough league and had the best record in the league, so we’ll have our hands full on Wednesday.”
Windsor is coming off a solid showing at the top seed in the North Bay League playoff tournament last week, advancing to the tourney title game with a 6-3 win over visiting No. 4 El Molino on May 8. The Jags fell to No. 2 seeded Piner in Friday’s championship game, 4-2.
Windsor jumped on the visiting Lions early in the NBL tourney opener, collecting a walk and four straight hits in the first inning to stake senior starter Tyler Hellums to a 2-0 lead. The Jaguars added another three runs in the third frame and Hellums and reliever Cameron Hayman did the rest as Windsor cruised to a 6-3 win. Hayman and Joseph Soltanizadeh had a team-leading three hits, while Cyrus Soltanizadeh and Ian McGee added two hits apiece.
Windsor played host to league rival Piner in the NBL tourney title game on Friday, their fourth meeting of the season. The Prospectors jumped on top in the first inning with a pair of runs for a 2-1 lead and never trailed to hang on for an eventual, 4-2 victory. The Jags had a rally thwarted with a rare batter’s interference call, possibly stopping a would-be comeback.
“It was a big call at a crucial time in the game,” Avila noted. “But one call didn’t make or break the game for us – our defense for the first time all year let us down – committing five errors.”
The win evened the season series at 2-2.
Starter Cameron Hayman (5 IP, 7 hits, 0 ERs, 4 Ks) deserved a better fate to take a tough loss, while relievers Matt Kemper and Gary Hall combined for a pair of scoreless innings. Top hitters included Joseph Soltanizadeh (3 for 4, RBI), McGee (2 for 4, run), varsity call-up Trent Matthews (1 for 3, 2B, run), Josh Delatorre (1 for 2, 2B), Chris Torres (1 for 1) and Carson Ramocinski (1 for 4).
