PETALUMA, Calif. – Pitching on just three days' rest after getting a complete game victory over Tamalpais-Mill Valley last Saturday in the CIF North Coast Division 2 quarterfinals, Petaluma head coach Scott Osder knew he was taking a chance throwing Aaron Davainis in the semifinals against Redwood-Larkspur.
Rather than save his Cal-committed junior ace for a potential championship game this Saturday, Osder sent him to the mound against the Giants. Not surprisingly, and just like he’s done in nine of his previous 10 starts, the 6-4, 250-pound hard-throwing Davainis took care of business after tossing a four-hitter with eight strikeouts to lead Petaluma (21-8) to a 5-2 victory at home on Wednesday evening.
“It’s not the first time I’ve thrown on three days’ rest so I was prepared,” Davainis said.
Even so, Osder wasn’t sure his decision was the right one.
“It was a really difficult, agonizing decision to throw him now or save him for Saturday,” Osder remarked. “But Redwood is a really good baseball team with a really good coach (Mike Firenzi), and I just made the decision throw him now. The rest of our staff will be fine on Saturday.”
Redwood (20-9) got on the board early when Charlie Welch led off the game with a single and scored on an RBI single by Kent Goodman to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.
Other than that one run the first three innings were a pitcher’s duel between Davainis and Redwood sophomore Rex Solle. Petaluma was having trouble with Solle the first time through the order, and although they drew three walks and had a hit batter, the Trojans couldn’t break through and stranded them all.
In fact, the hosts didn’t have a hit until Colin Landry singled in the third, but he too was stranded. Petaluma may have had five runners left on base through the first three innings, but that all changed as the Trojans owned innings four, five and six.
“They jumped out to that first inning lead but I knew our team had it,” Davainis said. “It’s a great bunch of guys and we just battled.”
Garrett Grace opened the bottom of the fourth with a double, but when Spencer Norman hit a comebacker to the mound, Grace broke for third base and was tagged out by the third baseman in a rundown. Meanwhile Norman advanced to second during the rundown. Colton Dilena got an infield single and Norman went to third. Dilena then stole second putting and Raime Dayton came to bat. He singled driving in Norman. Next up was Dante Vachini. He hit a high fly to left-center but as the centerfielder just about had the ball in his glove he collided with the leftfielder and Vachini had an RBI when Dilena scored on the play despite reaching by error.
With a 2-1 lead Davainis took the mound and promptly retired the side in order in the top of the fifth.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth Firenzi brought in Kent Goodman to relieve Solle. He walked David Wood who promptly stole second. Norman then singled to right and on the relay by the second baseman it looked like Wood was out but the throw was wild allowing him to score. Norman stole second, Dilena walked and Dayton was plunked to load the bases. Vachini then walked driving in Norman and it was 4-1 Petaluma.
The Trojans final run came when Landry singled to open the sixth and came around on an RBI single by Garrett Gracie.
Luca Bove hit a home run to lead off the top of the seventh for Redwood, but Davainis struck out the next three batters to end the ballgame.
Davainis improves to 10-1 with a 1.30 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 80.2 innings pitched. The home run he gave up was only the second this season. Had he not gone deep into the seventh he would have been able to pitch in the title game, but after the home run Osder needed him to finish the job.
“Had Aaron not given up that home run, had that been an out, we were pulling him right there because he still would have been available to pitch a little bit on Saturday,” Osder said. “But he’s thrown enough. The rest of the guys are going to have to pitch us to a win.”
Davainis is confident in his team’s ability to take care of business.
“I believe in us all the time. We’re a great team,” Davainis said. “It’s a bummer not being able to pitch on Saturday but I know my guys have my back.”
Third-seeded Petaluma will now host No. 9 seed Ukiah. In a game played across town Ukiah scored a run in the top of the seventh inning to pull out a 5-4 victory over Casa Grande-Petaluma.
Petaluma will be looking for its second NCS championship but first in over 30 years. The Trojans last title came in the 1980 season in the old 3A Division. Ukiah has never won an NCS championship.
