Analy and El Molino baseball teams are rounding into form in the early stages of the spring season, both scoring wins in recent pre-league action.
The intensity will ratchet up a notch this week when the Tigers (3-2) play host to the Lions (1-4) on March 10 (after press time) in the annual “Apple Game,” the only meeting between the teams this season.
Tigers torch Dragons
Analy is off to a strong start under the guidance of returning coach Casey Cunningham, following up victories over San Rafael (8-2) and Healdsburg (11-4) with a 4-3 win over Sonoma Valley on March 6.
The Tigers staged a great comeback against the Dragons, erasing a 3-2 deficit with two runs in the seventh inning to score the victory.
Junior Alex Leopard fired five innings, scattering eight hits and yielding two runs while striking out eight in a no-decision. Junior Logan Larsen (2 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 4 Ks) came on in the sixth to earn the win.
Leading hitters included Max Voelkel (2 for 4, 2 RBI), Miles Snodgrass (1 for 4) and Graham McConnell (1 for 2, run, RBI).
The Tigers will open the North Bay League Oak Division season on Friday, March 13, at Montgomery in a 4 p.m. varsity start. Analy will compete in the annual A.L. Rabinovitz Tournament on March 17 and 18 (times and locations TBA).
Lions turn back Knights
Led by head coach Justin Lewis, El Molino began the season with losses to St. Helena (4-1), St. Mary’s (14-4, 9-8, 8 innings) and Middletown (7-3), but all was forgiven when the Lions scored a 1-0 victory at Kelseyville on Saturday.
El Mo rode the hot hand of senior starting pitcher Pat Atkinson (5.1 IP, 3 hits, 0 ERs, 11 Ks), with freshman Daniel Martinez (1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 4 Ks) closing it out in relief. The Lions pushed across the winning run in the seventh inning when junior Owen White drove home junior Weston Lewis to lift El Mo to a 1-0 victory.
Swinging hot bats for the Lions were White (2 for 3, RBI), Lewis (1 for 3, run) and sophomore Ian Hochader (1 for 3).
El Mo will entertain Justin Siena this Friday, March 13, in a 4 p.m. varsity contest and will compete in the Rabinovitz tourney on March 17 and 18.
