Mason Morioka led Sonoma's offense in a 9-2 victory with a fantastic night at the plate. Morioka finished 3 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
James Toy III/Sonoma Stompers
Sonoma received a much-needed day of rest Thursday after playing 10 straight games without a day off. Sonoma looked fresh and ready for the stretch run to the end of the first half of the season. Sonoma also had a lot of fresh new faces in the clubhouse as well, as three players made their Stomper debuts Friday. The opponent in the Vallejo Admirals was one Sonoma was very confident with. Sonoma had only lost two games all season against them, and swept the Admirals the last time they visited People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field in June. There was no change to the trend on this night.
After the Stompers failed to score in the first three innings, Sonoma’s offense exploded for nine runs total from the fourth through the seventh. Sonoma got a clutch base hit into right field by Mason Morioka to score two runs with two outs in the fourth and the Stompers never looked back from there. Morioka finished with the team's best night offensively as he went 3 for 4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored to help Sonoma beat the Admirals 9-2.
Although starter Oliver Garcia did not make it fifth inning because of a problem he had with his pitching hand, the Stompers staff did not allow Vallejo to do much of anything offensively. Vallejo totaled only three hits as a team. They did have eight walks as a team, but couldn’t capitalize as they left 11 runners stranded on base.
Erik Gonsalves had his best night out of the pen this season throwing three scoreless innings to earn his first save of the season. He allowed only one hit and two base runners in those innings. Gonsalves also struck out three batters using his great slider that frustrated Admirals hitters. Jacob Cox made his presence felt with Sonoma in his first outing with the club by earning his first victory. The Fresno native pitched two innings allowing one run in relief of Oliver Garcia.
Shortstop Chaz Meadows and right fielder Cody Bishop were the two other players that made their Stomper debuts Friday. Both players performed well, and raised some eyebrows in the process. Bishop finished 1 for 4 with two driven in and Meadows finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Meadows also made multiple great stops at short and showed off a powerful arm. Sonoma had struggled a bit on defense in recent weeks, and Meadows definitely looked like a player that could improve their defense dramatically.
Sonoma (19-14) has now won three straight games and will look to continue their dominance of the Admirals Saturday night. Sonoma is now 11-2 is games played against the Admirals.
Saturday will be a very fun night at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field as Stacy Piagno will make her second start of the season for the Stompers. Piagno last pitched on July 1 in the historic event when she and Kelsie Whitmore started on the same night for Sonoma. Piagno’s arrival in Sonoma has been very well documented, and she will look to continue to blaze a trail for women in baseball everywhere.
Tickets for future Stomper home contests are available on StompersBaseball.com. Stompers gear, and tickets are also available inside The Fan Shop located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. For more information, contact the Stompers front office at info@stompersbaseball.com