The Jaguars are one of the hottest teams on the North Bay League baseball circuit this week, coming off three straight wins that extended their season record to a solid, 6-1.
Windsor began the stretch with a two-game set against league rival Analy, defeating the Tigers 6-4 and 3-2 (9 innings). The Jaguars finished the week with a wild, 15-8 non-league victory under the lights in Healdsburg on Saturday.
“Anytime you can pick up three wins in a week is a great week,” Jags’ head coach Dave Avila said.
Windsor trifecta
The Jaguars ventured west to Sebastopol to take on Analy on April 21, sending starting pitcher Matt Kemper to the mound in what proved to be another strong outing. The senior ace yielded just three hits through the first four frames, allowing one earned run while fanning eight to notch his third season win. The Jags trailed 4-2 after four innings but staged a three-run uprising in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run homer from Antonio Rivera, to take a lead they would not relinquish. Relievers Brett Neidlinger (2 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 2 Ks) and Josh Henderson (1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs) tossed the last three innings to preserve a 6-4 victory.
Pacing the Windsor bat attack were Trent Matthews (3 for 5, 2B, run, RBI), Carson Ramocinski (2 for 4, 2B, run, RBI), Rivera (2 for 3, HR, run, 2 RBIs) and Josh Delatorre (2 for 3).
Hard-throwing senior Gary Hall got the start in Friday’s home clash with the Tigers, firing six strong innings of one-hit ball while striking out 15 in a sensational performance.
The Tigers, behind starting pitcher Luke Dillon, capitalized on a pair of Windsor errors for to plate two runs in the sixth inning, but Hall bore down to escape further damage.
“With the bases loaded and one out, he bowed his neck and struck out two consecutive hitters to stop the bleeding,” Avila reflected. “It was as good as I’ve ever seen him handle adversity.”
Hall drove in the tying run in the bottom of the frame to knot the contest at 2-2 and send it into extra innings.
Windsor would pull out a win in the bottom of the ninth when Josh Delatorre hit a bases-loaded groundball that scored Anthony Guzman for the 3-2 victory.
Ramocinski (2 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 3 Ks) pitched well in relief, while Neidlinger (1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, K) picked up the win. Top hitters included Delatorre (2 for 5, RBI), Hall (2 for 4, run), Ramocinski (1 for 3), Neidlinger (1 for 4) and Guzman (run, RBI).
The Jaguars finished up a busy week at Recreation Park in Healdsburg on Saturday, locking horns with the red-hot Greyhounds in a see-saw battle. Windsor jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but the Hounds clawed back with eight unanswered runs for a comfortable, 8-4 advantage after four innings. Not a problem, as the Jags pushed across four of their own in the fifth, adding six more insurance runs in the sixth en route to a 15-8 victory. It was Healdsburg’s first loss after opening the season with nine straight wins.
Rivera (3.1 IP, 5 hits, 5 ERs, K) got a no-decision, while FJ Freenor (3.2 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 9 Ks) picked up the win in relief. Leading hitters were Delatorre (5 for 6, 3 RBIs), Hall (3 for 5, 3 RBIs), Matthews (3 for 6, 3 runs, 2 RBIs), Tyler Nordyke (2 for 4, 3 runs, RBI), Ramocinski (2 for 3, 3 runs, 2 RBIs), Neidlinger (2 for 5, 2 runs, RBI), Dominic Hayes (2 for 5, 2 runs) and Guzman (1 for 4, run, 2 RBIs). The 21-hit attack was the highest for the Jags this season, with all nine starters collecting at least one hit apiece.
Scheduling notes
Windsor (6-1, 3-1) will play a two-game series with Montgomery, beginning on Wednesday, April 28 in Santa Rosa. The Jags will host the Vikings this Friday, April 30. Both games start at 4 p.m.
