Teams close out strong season final year before realignment
El Molino and Analy varsity baseball teams reached the end of a successful three-month journey this week, with both the Lions and Tigers eliminated in their respective North Coast Section playoff tournaments.
The #9 seeded Lions (14-10) opened the NCS Division 4 tourney on the road with a May 23 visit to #8 St. Patrick-St. Vincent, riding the strong arm of junior ace Sam Wilson-Mietz, who went the distance in a five-hit, four-strikeout gem. El Mo pushed across what proved to be the winning run in the third when Wyatt Stringfellow singled and eventually scored for the early lead. Wilson-Mietz made the run stand up the rest of the way en route to a 1-0 win. Recording hits for the Lions were Patrick Atkinson (2 for 3), Shane Spelman (2 for 3), Jordan Hamner (1 for 3), Wilson-Mietz (1 for 4) and Stringfellow (1 for 3, run).
The Lions met their match in a May 25 quarterfinal clash at #1 seeded Middletown on Saturday, as the Mustangs pushed across three runs in the decisive second in an eventual 3-1 win.
Turning in strong pitching performances were Jack Belli (4 IP, 4 hits, 0 ERs, 2 Ks) and Atkinson (2 IP, 1 hit, 0 ERs, 2 Ks). Top hitters were Jordan Hamner (2 for 2), Wes Hamner (1 for 3, 2B, RBI), Stringfellow (1 for 2), Spelman (1 for 3) and Wilson-Mietz (1 for 3, run).  Â
Seeded eighth, Analy (17-10) suffered a first-round knockout at the hands of visiting #9 seeded San Marin in the NCS Division 3 tournament on May 22, coming out on the short end of a 9-5 loss.
Junior ace Tyler Stasiowksi (5 IP, 8 hits, 4 ERs, 4 Ks) took the hard-luck loss, keeping his team in the game through four innings to trail 4-1.
The Mustangs broke it open in a five-run sixth and held off a Tigers’ rally in the seventh to preserve a 9-5 win. Also pulling mound duty for Analy were Thomas O’Brien (1.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, K) and Evan Alvarez (.2 IP, 6 hits, 5 ERs). Leading hitters were Toni Siri (2 for 4, run, RBI), Alex Leopard (1 for 2, 2B, 2 runs), Jeff Pearson (1 for 3, run, RBI), Noah Rabin (1 for 3, 2B, run, RBI), Luke Tollini (1 for 3) and Will St. Martin (1 for 3, RBI).
The 2018 season marks the suspension of a long and storied SCL rivalry between Analy and El Molino, as league realignment takes effect next fall. The teams are slated to occupy different divisions for at least the next two years, but could still meet in the preseason.
