After a month of prep work and a combined 18 games, Analy and El Molino High School teams will open the much-anticipated Sonoma County League schedule this week.
The teams approach the SCL campaign close in proximity but with very different agendas, as the Tigers enter league gunning for the title, while the Lions are just hoping to get some wins under their belt.
Analy (9-2) closed out a busy pre-league season with six games in a four-day period, including five in the annual Napa Tournament on March 25-26. The tourney proved to be a good litmus test against solid competition, with the Tigers winning three of five games.
The Tigers opened the Napa tourney with successive losses to Napa (5-2) and Pleasant Valley (9-5), but bounced back with wins over Dixon (9-1, 4-3) and Yreka (7-2). On Monday, Analy scored a 9-5 road win over Maria Carrillo.
At press time the Tigers were prepping for a March 29 clash with Elsie Allen and will visit their archrival Petaluma this Thursday, March 31 in a match-up with serious title implications. Analy will host Sonoma Valley on Tuesday, April 5. All games start at 4 p.m.
The Lions (0-7) finished up preseason play with just one game last week, dropping a 13-0 decision to visiting Clear Lake. This week, El Molino opens league with a pair of road games at Petaluma (March 29), followed by a March 31 visit to Sonoma Valley (4 p.m.).
Tigers riding win streak     Â
After weathering their first two losses of the season to Napa and Pleasant Valley on March 25, Analy was back in the win column against Dixon in the afternoon game.
The Tigers rode the strong arm of pitcher Saja Spearman-Weaver (4.2 IP, 1 hit 0 runs, 5 Ks) against Dixon, pushing across nine runs in the first three innings en rout to a 9-0 win. Top hitters were Carson Rasmussen (3 for 4, run, 2 RBIs), Gianna Bianchi (2 for 2, 2 runs, RBI), Makeyla Kraemer (1 for 1, 2 runs), Derika Green (1 for 2), Payton Cords (1 for 3, 2B, run, RBI), Kaiya Ming (1 for 2, RBI), Peyton Bratton (1 for 3, 2 runs) and Gemma Gonzalez (1 for 1).
Analy continued Napa tourney action on March 26 with a 7-2 win over Yreka, erasing a 2-0 deficit with a four-run rally in the second, adding three more late in the game to ice a five-run victory. Spearman-Weaver (6 IP, 3 hits, 0 ERs, 10 Ks) earned the win, while leading hitters included Bratton (1 for 3, 2B, run, RBI), Green (1 for 3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Ming (1 for 3, run), Crystal Gevas (1 for 3, RBI), Kraemer (1 for 2, 2 runs), Kelsi Roman (1 for 3, RBI), Rasmussen (1 for 4, run) and Bianchi (1 for 4, RBI).
Analy closed out the Napa Tournament with another win over Dixon, this one a close 4-3 victory. Spearman-Weaver notched the win, while Jayde Hill (2 for 2, RBI) and Cords (2 for 4, run) led the attack.
The Tigers got their final prep work in on March 28 at Maria Carrillo, exploding for a pair of homers and five runs in the decisive fourth inning en route to a 9-5 win. Spearman-Weaver notched her ninth win of the season. Swinging hot bats were Hill (1 for 4, HR, RBI), Roman (1 for 4, RBI) and Kahealani Lua (1 for 3, HR).
