Sonoma nips ’Hounds, hosts finale tonight

As junior Max Yankovich stepped up big in his pitching turn, on the road, the Sonoma Valley High School varsity baseball boys moved to within one win of earning a Sonoma County League co-championship, which would be shared with longtime rival Petaluma.

With the left-handed Yankovich teaming with junior right-handed ace Maclean Meyn forming a dynamic mound duo, Yankovich fired a a clutch one-hitter with seven strikeouts and three walks, and the visiting Dragons upended Healdsburg for a 3-1 victory. This gives the Dragons a 10-1 SCL record that they’ll take into this evening’s final regular season game.

In tonight’s 7 p.m. finale at Arnold Field, Sonoma will host league foe El Molino, with Meyn, who is unbeaten in six SCL starts, taking the mound as the Dragons battle for an SCL co-title win.

Before the first pitch, Sonoma will honor its seniors, including Seth August, Thomas Crumly, Kyle Dunevent, Abel Fragoza, Kyle Garcia, Jack Hart and CJ Vitale.

Leading Sonoma past the Greyhounds were sophomore Carson Snyder’s two-for-three with a run scored; sophomore Ethan Vitale’s two-for-four with a run; Meyn’s double and two RBIs; and senior CJ Vitale’s single and run.

The Dragons will be hosting the annual postseason SCL Tournament at Arnold Field starting Tuesday, May 19.

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In Tuesday’s SCL and regular-season finale at the high school field, Sonoma’s varsity softball girls first honored their three seniors, Hannah Herrick, Shawny McVeigh and Nicole Reed, before the first pitch, then battled longtime rival Petaluma to a 1-1 tie through four innings.

But visiting Petaluma, which recently clinched its second straight SCL title, then went on a scoring binge with 14 runs in three frames en route to pounding the Lady Dragons 15-2 and finish the 12-game league schedule undefeated.

Pacing the Sonoma girls were Reed’s two-for-three, including a home run, an RBI and a run scored; sophomore Hayden Pearce’s double and RBI; McVeigh and sophomore Bella Fanucchi’s single each; and sophomore Erin Atkinson’s run.

The Lady Dragons (9-3 SCL) and Analy (9-3) tied for second place and will face each other in an opening-round game of the annual postseason SCL Tournament at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at league champion and top-seed Petaluma.