SANTA ROSA, CA - Sonoma Academy blew open a tie game with six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning en route to a 9-3 victory over Drew Monday in a non-league baseball game at Doyle Park.
Chance Colbert’s RBI double gave the Coyotes the lead. Byron Spars followed up with a two-run double, scoring Colbert and Nathan Becker. Senior Oscar McCauley singed home Spars. Thomas Zelazny then reached on an error, scoring McCauley. Caden Zolezzi capped the inning by ripping an RBI single to center, giving the Coyotes six straight runs, all coming with two outs.
“We finally swung the bats well, especially with two outs,” said Sonoma Academy head coach Dave Cox. “It had been a while.”
Tyler Nordby got the start for Sonoma Academy. He's only a freshman, but pitched like a veteran. His first inning went 1-2-3, with two strikeouts.
He ran into trouble in the third. Infield singles by Timothy Moon, Daro Serizawa, and then a walk to Charlie Erdman loaded the bases. A fielder’s choice by Chalom Rosenberg put Drew up 1-0 and an RBI double by Morgan Raynal made it 2-0. A strikeout and a fly out got Nordby out of the inning.
Serizawa got the starting assignment for Drew (3-3). He too breezed through the first, but struggled in the second. Zelazny got on with a single, and Colin Dewes got on with a bunt, but outs by Zolezzi, and Fabrizio Caro ended that frame.
Nathan Becker started off the bottom of the third with an infield single, followed by a single from Spars. McCauley fell behind 0-2, but then lined a double past the left fielder for a two run double to tie the game.
Nordby then weaved his way out of trouble in the fourth, with some help from Zolezzi who made a sliding catch and throwing the runner out at first from the seed of his pants for the double play.
Nordby surrendered a pair of doubles. Sandwiched in between was a strikeout, but the ball slipped away from McCauley as the runner reached. Then he struck out Jason Shelgoleff to finish his night. He finished with a strong pitching line of 5 innings pitched, allowing just two earned runs and five hits with nine strikeouts.
Lefty Will Twomey retired left-handed batter Elon Goliger Mallomson, the only man he faced. Jordan Salmonsen got the final five outs for the Coyotes, allowing one hit and striking out one.
“Feels good to be on this side of the equation,” said Cox
Sonoma Academy will host Credo on Wednesday night to open up NCL II play. Drew-SF travels to Pinewood Wednesday night.
