Sonoma Valley ends league season with loss to Justin-Siena

The first Vine Valley league baseball season was reaching its conclusion, and the Sonoma Valley Dragons held onto a slim lead for first place when they headed to Napa to play sixth-place Justin-Siena.

Unfortunately things don’t always go according to plan – except, this time, for Justin-Siena. Down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh inning, trailing 4-3, what coach Jeremy Tayson referred to as “a booming double to the left center field wall” from Tommy Lopez put a runner in scoring position, and a triple by Noah Young followed to tie the score, sending the game into extra innings.

For Justin-Siena, the improbabilities continued in the eighth inning as they put two runners on before Marcus Nunes hit one deep to right to score Nolan Dunkle for their third walk-off win of the season.

“We competed with all we had today,” said Tayson – himself a Sonoma resident and former SVHS baseball player and coach. The Justin team also boasts several Sonoma boys on its squad, including Dunkle, Will Natuzzi, Alex Kirley and Luigi Albano-Dito.

Dragons coach Rich Blanchard struggled to take the loss philosophically. “A win Wednesday would have given the Dragons sole ownership of the VVAL league pennant,” he said. Then he added, diplomatically, “Justin Siena played a terrific game on their senior night - the Justin seniors brought a great energy.”

Three teams from the seven- school league will share first place: Sonoma Valley, Petaluma, and either American Canyon or Casa Grade (pending the results of their meeting on Friday), each with identical 8-4 league records.

The Dragons jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when Max Handron led off with a single, and Riley Phelan and Jamie Pierce drew walks to load the bases. Tyler Garrett hit a sacrifice fly to score Handron, then Phelan scored on a wild pitch.

With the slight but stable lead, Sonoma’s Joe Costanzo held Justin-Siena scoreless through the first three innings. In the bottom of the fourth, the Braves tied the game on two singles and a double, with local boy Albano-Dito contributing an RBI.

Sonoma responded in the top of the fifth by loading the bases with singles from Phelan, Anthony Tommasi, and Jamie Pierce. Tyler Garrett got his second RBI of the game scoring Phelan on an infield ground out. Jake Baker drove in Tommasi on another infield ground out.

Justin Siena bounced back to score in the bottom of the fifth, but Sonoma carried the 4-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh, when the Braves’ improbable comeback began.

Justin-Siena’s win was not entirely a fluke – they out-hit the Dragons 13 to five, though neither team had any fielding errors. Winning pitcher was Albano-Dito, who pitched three perfect innings to close out the game for the Braves. Phelan, pitching the eighth inning in relief, gave up three hits and a run for the loss.

So at the end of the day, the Dragons will have to share first place in the VVAL with two other teams. But bragging rights should go to Sonoma Valley: they end the season with at least 16 wins overall, depending on the results of Thursday’s game against non-league opponent Las Lomas.

That game was played at Arnold Field, at 6 p.m.; results too late for press time.