Analy, El Molino horsehiders eye postseason run:earn NCS playoff berths

Playoff baseball is in the air for local high school teams this week, as the Sonoma County League champion Analy Tigers and West County cousin El Molino prepare for what is hoped will be a strong postseason run.
At press time the Tigers (20-6) were fresh off a loss to Sonoma Valley in the SCL playoff tournament title game on Thursday, preparing to take the home field as the number three seed in the North Coast Section Division-3 playoffs against 14th seeded Bishop O’Dowd on May 24.
Should Analy win as expected, it will host the survivor of the Albany-San Rafael contest on either May 27 or 28 (TBD). Check the NCS website at www.cifncs.org for updated tourney information as it becomes available.
The complete list of NCS Division-3 playoff teams in seeding order is; Acalanes, San Marin, Analy, Drake, Tamalpais, Albany, Eureka, Campolindo, Alhambra, El Cerrito, San Rafael, Miramonte, Sonoma Valley, Bishop O’Dowd, DeAnza and Hercules.
Meanwhile, El Molino (9-14) was also rewarded for a solid campaign, landing the 12th seed in the NCS Division-4 playoffs. As of this writing, the Lions were scheduled to visit number five Kelseyville on Wednesday, May 25 in a 4 p.m. tilt. If the Lions can pull the upset, they will travel to face the victor of the Healdsburg-Salesian game on May 27 or 28 (TBD).  
The seeding order for NCS Division-4 teams is; Arcata, St. Mary’s, Justin Siena, Healdsburg, Kelseyville, McKinleyville, St. Helena, Fortuna, Lick Wilmerding, Piedmont, John Swett, El Molino, Salesian, St. Patrick/St. Vincent and Livermore Valley Charter Prep.
Tigers take one of two in SCL tourney   
Analy was the top seed entering the league playoff tournament hosted by Sonoma Valley on May 17-19, opening up with a first-round clash against number four Piner.
The Tigers used a bullpen by committee against the Prospectors, using Gabe Werthimer (WP, 1.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 Ks), Mason Snodgrass (2.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 3 Ks) and Evan Peelen (3 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 5 Ks) in a solid collective effort. Analy spotted the Prospectors a 2-0 lead after four, but pushed across a pair of runs in the fifth to knot the game at 2-2.
The Tigers plated the winning run in the bottom of the sixth when a Piner throwing error allowed pinch runner Johnny Gomes to trot home for the eventual 3-2 win. Pacing the Analy hitting corps were David Codoni (2 for 2), Devon Ogston (2 for 3, run), Nolan Alvarez (1 for 3, run), Taylor Cullen (1 for 3) and Todd Noonan (1 for 3).
Analy squared off with an upset-minded, 3rd seeded Sonoma Valley in the May 19 tourney title game, as the Dragons exploded for eight runs in the third inning to bust it wide open. The Tigers drew within three at 8-5 in the fifth, but Sonoma iced it with another four-run rally in the seventh en route to a 12-5 win.
Starter Ryan Calderon took the loss, while top hitters included Cullen (2 for 4, run, RBI), Drew Valez (2 for 3) and Alvarez (1 for 3, 2B).