Pacifics have Stompers’ number

San Rafael has topped Stompers in 8 of 11|

The Sonoma Stompers fell into a first-place tie Wednesday with the San Rafael Pacifics as their Marin nemesis beat Sonoma for the eighth time in 11 tries this season.

While the Pacifics topped the Stompers 4-2 in a rare Wednesday afternoon game, it was a significant game for Stomper Kelsie Whitmore .

Whitmore was still looking for her first hit when she came to the plate in the fourth inning. It was her first game back after some time away from the Stompers, and she was leading off and playing left field.

The Stompers hadn’t gotten off to a good start in the game, and Whitmore’s at-bat held some importance. Runners were at first and second, and with two outs, it was up to the 18- year-old to try and put Sonoma on the board after two trips through the lineup with nothing to show for it.

With a two-strike count, Whitmore stayed patient and didn’t chase an off-speed pitch in the dirt which had struck her out in her previous at bat. With the count full, Pacifics pitcher Patrick Conroy’s only choice was to challenge her with the runners going on the pitch.

Whitmore was up for the challenge.

She sharply grounded one through the hole in the right side, and it got to the outfield grass. It was a historic trajectory both for Whitmore and her team. It was her first professional hit, and in Sonoma’s case, it was an opportunity to get on the board.

Daniel Baptista, who was on second, rounded third and headed for home, but he was out on a close call that went against the Stompers.

Sonoma ended up falling to the Pacifics, 4-2, but Whitmore’s single proved to be a highlight that transcended the final score. The fact the hit came in the situation it did was a boost for the team, even if the controversial call at the plate dulled some of the excitement.

After her hit, Whitmore’s Stomper teammates excitedly yelled to have the ball thrown their way so that she could have the ball she recorded her first hit with. On a Wednesday afternoon with dozens of kids looking on at a Kids Day promotion for the Pacifics, the fans roared with approval, roaring again when it was announced over the PA that it was indeed her first hit.

The other side of the story is that the Stompers lost again to the Pacifics, their eighth loss in 11 games against San Rafael this season. They left nine runners on base and had a couple of situations with runners in scoring position where they couldn’t cash in.

Tuesday night, the Stompers again came up short as the Pacifics won a 5-4 decision.

The game had a lot at stake for both the Pacifics and the Stompers. Both teams entered with identical 2-1 records to start the second half.

San Rafael didn’t finish the first half strong, but the Stompers toughest opponent over the last two seasons has been the Pacifics. They are the defending champions, and the Stompers struggled against them in the first half. Sonoma has yet to find a consistent winning formula against the Pacifics.

The Tueday game was tight headed to the final inning. Sonoma trailed by a run going into their final at-bats. But J.R. Bunda was too much for the Stompers to handle as the right-hander shut down the Sonomans to preserve the 5-4 win. It was Bunda’s eighth save of the season, as he got the final four outs to end the ball game.

Sonoma had their opportunities to win, but a few costly mistakes and a controversial call made a huge difference in this game. Sean Conroy made two uncharacteristic errors on the mound on pick-off attempts. His second error in the fourth led to a run for the Pacifics.

Sonoma’s offense also stranded 10 runners in the game. Mark Hurley and Mason Morioka were the only two Stompers who finished with multiple hits, as Hurley was two-for-three with a walk and an RBI. Morioka was two-for-four with an RBI and a run scored.

In the fourth inning, a threat ended on a controversial call. With the bases loaded, Yuki Yasuda hit a sharp ground ball to Jake Taylor who threw to first from his knees. Yasuda and the Stompers thought he beat the throw and was safe, but the umpire saw it differently.

That call was a huge moment in the ballgame and could have gone either way. But bench coach Chris Mathews understood that they could not attribute the loss to that play. “You can never pick out one play or call and blame a loss on that alone. We made mistakes in this game that put us in this situation. Yes the call was controversial, but we can’t say that was the reason that we lost,” said Mathews.

The Stompers return home tonight, Friday, July 22, to face the Pittsburg Diamonds for a weekend series. Games are at 6 p.m. today and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. After a day off Monday, the San Rafael Pacifics visit for a three-game series, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Tickets are available at the Fan Shop, 234 W. Napa St. or at Arnold Field prior to each game.

For more information on the Stompers, visit the team’s website, stompersbaseball.com or email the team at info@stompersbaseball.com.

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