Strong pitching can’t save Dragons from Bulldogs

Sonoma Valley mustered just four hits in a 9-2 loss

After taking a few days off from a loss on Saturday to Novato, Sonoma Valley lost its Wednesday night matchup against Alhambra 9-2.

In what was their fourth game of a nine-game homestand to start the season, Sonoma Valley totaled four hits across 24 at-bats. They also didn’t drive in any of their runs, scoring on an error in the second and a wild pitch in the fourth.

The top of the lineup provided almost all of the Dragons’ offense, as seniors Adrian Buckley and Landon Waldrop combined for three hits in seven at-bats, with sophomore Max Harrison adding a double and a couple walks. Sonoma Valley’s only runs came courtesy of Harrison and Waldrop.

The Bulldogs knocked around starting pitcher Nick Sebastiani for three runs across three innings as the Dragons’ defense failed to support a strong pitching effort. The sophomore registered just one walk and one hit in his three innings of work, and was unfortunate enough to take his second loss of the season.

It was Sebastiani’s third start of the season, and makes him the Dragons’ leader in starts and innings (8) and second in ERA (2.62) behind senior Christian Hernandez (0.00). Sebastiani likely would have gone deeper into the game, but getting into jams in each of his three innings gave coach Rich Blanchard enough reason to bring in some relief. Hernandez carried the load out of the bullpen, pitching 2.1 innings and allowing just one, unearned run.

The Dragons committed five errors on the whole, meaning only five of the Bulldogs nine runs were scored as earned. Through the game, Sonoma Valley struggled with giving Alhambra extra base runners through walks and errors and the momentum to score in every single inning but the fifth.

Sonoma Valley continues its homestand with a game at Arnold Field on Monday, March 7, against Ygnacio Valley at 6 p.m.