Sonoma Valley faces first VVAL rival at Arnold Field

It's far too early to break out the champagne, but the Sonoma Valley Dragons varsity baseball team is sporting an undefeated 5-0 record this season, after downing visiting Alhambra Monday night at Arnold Field.

That could change Friday night when the Dragons meet their first VVAL rival, Casa Grande, at 7 p.m.

The new league has presented challenges to Sonoma Valley teams all year long, and while Casa Grande doesn't look to be an intimidating opponent – they are 2-1, their loss coming on Wednesday against their cross-town rival Petaluma, 5-3 – anything is possible at this stage of the season.

'The players are working hard,' said Coach Rich Blanchard of the Dragons' record so far. 'Beyond that it is too early to know.'

It's not too early to know what happened Monday afternoon, when the Sonoma Valley Dragons defeated visiting Alhambra in the make-up of a rain-delayed game from Feb. 27 by a 7-2 score.

The Alhambra Bulldogs struck first when they touched Sonoma's starting pitcher Dusty Pierce for two runs in the third inning. The Dragons answered in the bottom of the inning as center fielder Tucker Pierce (2 for 4) led off with a single to left, matched by right fielder Anthony Tomassi (2 for 4) with his own single to left.

When Tyler Garret reached base on an error, that created your basic basis-loaded situation, and the Dragons took advantage with a series of infield ground balls that the Bulldogs couldn't handle cleanly – the had 5 errors in the game – giving Sonoma Valley the lead, 3-2.

That put Dusty Pierce in position to be the winning pitcher, when he held the Bulldogs scoreless in the fourth inning. Joe Costanzo came on in relief in the fifth and finished the game throwing three scoreless innings.

But in the bottom of the sixth the Dragons went for some cushion, as Logan Mak led off with a solo home run over Arnold Field's left field fence. The homer ignited the Dragons' offense which mixed singles from catcher Austin Arrington (2 for 3) and Tucker Pierce with a walk to Riley Phelan – and a hit-by-pitch of Jamie Pierce – to add three more runs for the eventual 7 - 2 victory.

'I was really happy I was able to help lead the team to another victory and remain undefeated,' Mak commented about his solo shot in the sixth. He'll get another chance to play hero tonight in the first Vine Valley Association League game of the year. First pitch is at 7 p.m., at Arnold Field.