NCS playoffs: Sonoma Valley softball team wins on wild home run

Trailing 8-6 in the bottom of the sixth inning in a North Coast Section Division 3 quarterfinal softball game Friday, Sonoma Valley's Abby Alcayaga hit a dramatic three-run homer with a controversial twist that won the game 9-8 against Sonoma County League rival Analy.

The victory propels the No. 4 Dragons (14-12) to the semifinal game at 5 p.m. Tuesday at College of Marin against No. 1 Marin Catholic (20-5) of Kentfield. The Dragons lost to the Wildcats 7-6 in the preseason at Marin Catholic.

“If we keep swinging the bat like we have been we will be all right,” Sonoma Valley coach Keeley Ray said.

The memorable Dragons home run was set up after a single and an error brought Alcayaga to the plate with no outs in the sixth. Alcayaga sent a ball skyward to the wall in left field where Analy outfielder Gianna Bianchi jumped and momentarily had the ball in her glove while in the air. What happened next is in dispute.

According to Ray, Bianchi fell backward over the short fence and the ball popped out of her glove on her way down. Analy coach Nick Houtz, however, said he thought the ball didn't come out of Bianchi's glove until she hit the ground, which he asserted was a ground-rule double under the “catch-and-carry” rule.

No matter the interpretation by the opposing coaches, both the ball and Bianchi landed on the non-playing side of the fence and the umpires ruled it a home run, giving Sonoma a 9-8 lead. Houtz argued the call to no avail. Analy was unable to score the equalizer run in the top of the seventh.

“It was crazy,” Ray said of the play. “The whole situation was unbelievable. I don't think I'll ever see that again - it was bizarre.”

“It was a heck of a game, I felt bad for my kids,” Houtz said. “Sonoma has some hitters. Sonoma played a good game and is a good team so no sour grapes.”

The No. 5 Tigers broke out to a 6-2 lead in the middle of the third after a five-run second inning.

Sonoma, however, fought back with three runs in the third, one in the fourth and three in the sixth.

Sonoma won four of the six games the teams played head-to-head this season.

“I think Analy has had enough of us,” Ray said. “These are two competitive teams that are pretty evenly matched. It's always fun when we play them.”

Sonoma starter Kennedy Midgley (3 innings, 6 runs, 4 hits) was pulled for reliever Jordyn Chiotti (4 innings, 2 runs, 2 hits), who earned the victory.

Carson Rasmussen (6 innings, 9 runs/6 earned, 12 hits) took the loss for Analy (18-9).

Alcayaga (4-4, HR, 4 RBIs, 2 runs), Kaliyah Hensic (1-4, HR, 2 RBIs, run), and Midgley (3-4, run) led the Sonoma offense.

Rasmussen (2-3, double, 2 RBIs) and Makayla Kraemer (2-4, RBI, run) paced Analy at the plate.

“I think we had a great season but it could have been better,” Houtz said. “Sonoma could take it all.”

In NCS baseball games:

St. Vincent de Paul 6, Ferndale 2

The No. 1 Mustangs (25-0) continued their season-long winning streak behind three-run outbursts in the third and fourth innings to put away the visiting No. 8 Wildcats (15-9) in a Division 5 quarterfinal game.

“Ferndale walked eight of our guys - that was the story of the game,” St. Vincent coach Stan Switala said. “We were very patient (against Ferndale starter Landon Gomes). We put the take sign on until he threw strikes.”

Meanwhile, bedrock Mustangs starter Ethan Rapoport remained undefeated for the season (13-0) and earned the win, going six innings and giving up five hits and two runs.

“Ethan's off-speed was really good and he was pounding the strike zone the entire day,” Switala said. “He was moving the ball in and out on both sides of the plate.”

Matt Pierson (1-2, 2 RBIs) had the big hit for St. Vincent, a bases-loaded two-out single to drive in two runs in the third inning to give the Mustangs a 3-0 lead.

Gio Antonini (2-2, run) and Rapoport (2-4, run) combined with Pierson for five of the Mustangs' hits.

The Mustangs will host No. 5 Athenian (16-4) of Danville at 5 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal game.

Branson 13, Cloverdale 2 (5 innings)

At Terra Linda High, the host No. 2 Bulls (15-10) of Ross roughed up four pitchers for the No. 7 Eagles (14-8) in a Division 5 quarterfinal game to end Cloverdale's season.

“Branson is a really solid baseball team, especially for Division 5,” Cloverdale coach Ben West said. “Their one through nine batters hit the baseball. We threw every pitcher we could at them. They hit well with two strikes.”

Cloverdale starter Dylan Scaramella provided little resistance and was replaced after giving up five runs in 1? innings. The Eagles' relief corps also struggled to dampen the Branson offense.