Local high school baseball teams are heating up with their eye on the prize this month, with both Analy and El Molino pushing hard in the final days of the regular season.
At the start of play this week, the Tigers (6-3, 13-7) were among the hottest teams in the Sonoma County League, with seven wins in their last eight outings moving them into a tie with Piner for second place, two games back of league-leading Petaluma (8-1).
Analy is coming off a three-win stretch that included victories over Piner (5-1), Sonoma Valley (9-3) and Elsie Allen (23-0). This week the Tigers will visit Healdsburg on May 1 (after press time), host Petaluma on Friday, May 4 (4 p.m.) and visit Ukiah in a non-league contest on May 7 (4:30 p.m.).
The Lions (5-3, 11-6) are also right in the thick of the chase and coming off an even split, pounding Elsie Allen 23-0) but dropping a 3-2 decision to Piner. Upcoming games for El Mo include a visit to Sonoma on May 1, followed by home dates against Healdsburg (May 4) and Petaluma (May 8). All games start at 4 p.m.
Tigers hitting stride
Analy played some of its best ball of the season last week, beginning with a 5-1 win over visiting Piner on April 2. Starter Tyler Stasiowski (7 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 5 Ks) turned in his latest in a series of strong outings in a complete-game gem, while top hitters were Jeff Pearson (2 for 2, 2B, run, RBI), Noah Rabin (1 for 2, 2B, 2 runs), Brenden Medina (1 for 2, RBI), Luke Tollini (1 for 4) and Toni Siri (1 for 4, run).
Brenden Medina (6 IP, 8 hits, 2 ERs, 6 Ks) climbed the hill in an April 27 clash with Sonoma Valley, logging a strong outing before Austin Alvarez (1 IP, 1 hit, 1 K) closed it out in a scoreless seventh to preserve a 9-3 win. Pacing the hitting corps were Rabin (3 for 3, 2B, 3B, run, RBI), Siri (3 for 4, 2B, run), Pearson (2 for 4, 2B, run, RBI), Austin Alvarez (2 for 3, 2 runs, RBI) and Dalton Goodrum (2 for 3, 2 RBIs).
The Tigers made short work of visiting Elsie Allen on April 30, pushing across 14 runs in the third inning to force an early stoppage to win 23-0. Julian Marcel (3 IP, 0 hits, 7 Ks) notched the win while Christian Abbott (2 IP, 2 hits, K) closed it out. Leading hitters were Rabin (3 for 4, 2B, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), Goodrum (3 for 4, run, 4 RBIs), Ethan Silverstrich (2 for 3, 3 runs, RBI), Marcel (2 for 3, 2 runs, RBI), Evan Alvarez (2 for 4, 2B, 3B, 2 runs, RBI), Pearson (2 for 4, 2B, 4 runs, 3 RBIs), Abbott (2 for 4, 2B, run, RBI) and Luke Bertling (2 for 3, run).
Lions gain split
El Molino also flexed its muscles in a 23-0 rout over Elsie Allen on April 24, using a pitching staff by committee that included Patrick Atkinson, Jack Belli, Wes Lewis and Bradley Swinney. Top hitters were Belli (3 for 3, 2 runs, RBI), Sam Wilson-Mietz (2 for 2, 2 runs, RBI), Wyatt Stringfellow (2 for 5, 3 runs, 2 RBIs), Andy Junge (2 for 2, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Wes Lewis (2 for 3, 3 runs), Aaron Daniels (2 for 3, 4 runs, 3 RBIs), Cole Van Stone (2 for 3, run, 3 RBIs), Wes Hamner (2 for 2, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Sam McMinimy (1 for 3, 2B, run) and Atkinson (1 for 4, 2B, 4 RBIs).
El Mo traveled to Piner on April 27, as the Prospectors made three first-inning runs stand up en route to a 3-2 victory (no stats reported).
