The 2019 high school baseball season will feature some new faces and a newly aligned league, but an old tradition will continue this Friday, March 1, when the El Molino Lions and Analy Tigers renew a long-standing rivalry.
This year’s “Apple Game” moves to Forestville, with the first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.
Both teams opened the spring preseason campaign in earnest last week with a flurry of games, as the Lions (2-0) scored wins over St. Helena (7-3) and Healdsburg (4-1), while the Tigers (1-1) gained a split, combining a 13-4 win over Novato with a 6-4 loss to Vintage.
Lions serve notice
This could be the year of the Lion, as evidenced by two solid victories, starting with a Feb. 19 home opener against St. Helena. Winning pitcher Sam Wilson-Mietz (4 IP, 3 hits, 0 ERs, 1 K) joined forces with Patrick Atkinson (3 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 2 Ks) in a pair of stellar performances, while top hitters included Atkinson (2 for 4, 2 RBIs), Wilson-Mietz (2 for 3, run, RBI), Andrew Tait (2 for 3, 2 runs), Jordan Hamner (1 for 3, 2 runs, RBI), Weston Lewis (1 for 3, run, RBI) and Sam Kenny (1 for 4).
Atkinson climbed the hill in the Feb. 21 visit to Healdsburg, firing five innings of one-hit ball while fanning nine before handing the ball to closer Chris Romeo (2 IP, 1 hit, 0 ERs, K) in a 4-1 victory. Pacing the bat attack were Wilson-Mietz (3 for 4, 2 2Bs, 2 runs), Kenny (1 for 2, 2 RBIs) and Lewis (1 for 1, run, RBI).
Tigers gain split
Analy had an impressive season debut in its Feb. 20 trip to Novato, exploding for nine hits and 13 runs to score a 13-4 rout over the Hornets. Thomas O’Brien (4 IP, 1 hit, 4 ERs, K), notched the win, while Tyler Stasiowski (2 IP, 0 hits, 0 ERs, 3Ks) was solid in relief. Top hitters for the Tigers included Dalton Goodrum (2 for 3, 3 runs, RBI), Will St. Martin (2 for 4, 2 runs, RBI), O’Brien (2 for 4, run, 3 RBIs), Alex Leopard (1 for 4, 2 runs), Colton Lomonto (1 for 3, 2 runs, RBI), Zack Eling (1 for 2, 2 runs) and Ethan Silverstrich (2 RBIs).
The Tigers dug themselves a 6-0 hole in their Feb. 22 visit to Vintage in Napa but made it interesting with a wild four-run rally in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run homer by Noah Rabin, to fall 6-4. Stasiowski (5 IP, 4 hits, 2 ERs, 5 Ks) took the loss while Leopard (1 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 2 Ks) logged mop-up duty. Leading hitters were Rabin (3 for 3, HR, run, 2 RBIs), Silverstrich (1 for 3, 2 RBIs) and St. Martin (1 for 4, run).
