Horsehiders eyeing late-season push

It’s getting late early on the local high school baseball diamond for teams with post-season aspirations, as El Molino and Analy squads look for a strong finish to their respective North Bay League schedules.
Both teams are coming off a rocky stretch on the NBL circuit, with the Lions claiming one win in three outings, while the Tigers dropped a pair of games to Maria Carrillo.
At the start of play this week the Tigers (3-8, 7-11) had just five games left on the NBL Oak Division docket, beginning with a home (April 23) and road (April 26) series with Cardinal Newman. Analy will play a two game road (May 1, 4 p.m.) and home (May 3, 4p.m.) set with Rancho Cotate before closing out the season on Saturday, May 4 in a 1 p.m. start against Windsor. 
Analy kicked off a two-game set with Maria Carrillo in the friendly confines on April 16, spotting the Pumas four runs in the opening frame. The Tigers clawed back with a combined five runs in the next four innings to regain the lead, but the game would move to extra innings knotted at 6-6. Carrillo ended the madness with a four-run uprising in the eighth to escape with a 10-6 victory.
Logging mound time for the Tigers were Tyler Stasiowski (7 IP, 6 hits, 6 ERs, 9 Ks), Thomas O’Brien (0.2 IP, 1 hit, 4 ERs) and Zack Eling (0.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, K). Leading hitters were Alex Leopard (2 for 4, 2 2Bs, 3 runs, RBI), O’Brien (2 for 3), Noah Rabin (1 for 3, 2B, RBI), Max Voelkel (1 for 3, 2B, 2 runs) and Dalton Goodrum (1 for 2, run). 
The Tigers traveled to Maria Carrillo on Friday, watching a 3-1 lead evaporate in an eventual 6-3 loss to the Pumas. Leopard (6.1 IP, 5 hits, 5 ERs, 5 Ks) took the loss while Rabin (0.2 IP, 0 runs, 0 hits) closed it out. Top hitters included Leopard (2 for 3), Eling (1 for 3), O’Brien (1 for 2), Will St. Martin (1 for 2, 2B, run, RBI) and Voelkel (1 for 3).
Lions slip past Healdsburg    
The Lions (2-6, 7-9) managed one win in three recent NBL Redwood Division outings, beginning with narrow win at Healdsburg on April 15.
The Lions jumped out to an early lead and took a 7-1 cushion after six before the Hounds made things interesting in a five-run uprising in the seventh. It wasn’t quite enough as El Mo hung on for a 7-6 win.
Logging mound duty were Andrew Tait (4 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 4 Ks), Weston Lewis (2.1 IP, 2 hits, ER, 2 Ks) and Sam Wilson-Mietz (0.2 IP, 1 hit, 3 ERs, K).
Pacing the offense were Lewis (4 for 4, 3 runs), Pat Atkinson (3 for 3, run, 2 RBIs), Gabe Wallace (3 for 4, 2 RBIs), Wilson-Mietz (1 for 3, run), Wyatt Stringfellow (1 for 3, RBI), Sam McMinimy (1 for 3) and Tait (1 for 4, run).
The Lions entertained Windsor in the first of a two-game home-away set on April 17, coming out on the short end of a 6-4 score. The Lions led 4-0 after five, but the Jaguars pushed across six runs in the final two frames to notch a 6-4 win.
Wilson-Mietz (7 IP, 7 hits, 3 ERs, 4 Ks) took the loss, while top hitters were Wilson-Mietz (3 for 4, 2 runs), Lewis (2 for 4), Jordan Hamner (1 for 3, 2B, run, RBI), Thomas Siegert (1 for 4) and Wallace (1 for 3).
El Mo finished up a busy week on Friday at Windsor, managing just a pair of hits from Atkinson (2 for 2) and Wilson-Mietz (2 for 3, 2B) in a 2-0 loss. Pitcher Chris Romeo (6 IP, 4 hits, ER, 2 Ks) took a tough loss for the Lions.
El Molino will resume league action on April 24 against visiting Piner and visit the Prospectors on Friday, April 26. The Lions will host Fort Bragg on Monday, April 29 and travel to Healdsburg on April 30. All games start at 4 p.m.